desir to simpathiz with them. Miltoun seemd avers from leaving, and I durst not adviz him.

Dec. 4.-Mr. T. Ross wryt to me, and told me his fear to be caryd south. I desir to simpathiz with him as I may. I did meit with Mr. Wm. Falconar anent the place for the bridg, and I desird to submit my wil to God. He did expostulat with me for not hearing. I told him, it was not from prejudice against him mor then others, but being dissatisfied with the constitution of the church and government as it is now. I did withdraw lest my hearing might be constructed a consent and complianc. I told him, that, besid the covenant, I held the civil places of kirkmen unlawful and inconsisting with the offic of a minister of Christ. To sit on lif and death, and on civil things of fyning, punishment corporal, and the lyk, earthli dignities, as princes, and preferenc befor Duks and Marqs, was unseeming and inconsisting. I durst not disclaim the present ministers of the church of Scotland, but I did hold them guilti of gross defections and corruptions. . .

He askd, If my son had baptizd his child. I told him solemli, I knew not, for if it was baptizd it was mor then I knew. But, if my good daughter did it, I could not controll her; and I did not hold it unlawful to hear.

a

7.-I did goe with the E. of M. to Pluses burial. I spok to the E. of Seaf. anent Mr. T. Ross, and Mr. J. M'Kilican. I found he had Thorntoun preachd a funeral, but I heard it not. I did with Calder and Aradoul tak som refreshment in B. Brodie's. Grang returnd from the south. I heard of the conventicl in the feilds, that would not dissolv quhen desird by the parti, and a new parti directed to tak dead or living. I desir to understand what this saies. I heard that the gospel was doeing good in som places of the Mers, and on the border. . . . I heard the E. of Crauford was dead. This is almost the last of thes who did undertak the last work of reformation in the year 1638.

...

9.—Petgauni wryt to me, that the storm was growing, and it wer thrift and wisdom in the spring and summer to lay up for winter; for the winter will trie and ask what the summer has bein doeing.

10. Die Dom. Mr. Ja Brodi told me, that Thorntoun, besid the payment of the money which [he] gott on his fals perfidious pretexts, was fored to

• Short-hand in MS.

b

A funeral sermon.

John Earl of Crawfurd-Lindesay, died at Tyninghame in 1676, aged above 80.

pay the Lord Aboin 4000 m. besid, that he might not be broght on the stage for his falshood and perfidiousnes.

a

12 Decr. This was the day of appearanc at Elgin by the poor honest folk for conventicls: a stormi day. They bide greater storms. Let the Lord be with them. Mr. Jhon Heburn cam heir: he purposd south, and, as I conceaue, to put himself on a way to preach. I found much shaking in mind, especialli throgh the diuisions of the Lord's church and peopl, not onli opposers and unbeleeuers, but of thes that ar sound in the faith, Lutherans, Independents, nay Presbyterians among themselvs, altar against altar, prayer against prayer, churches against churches. Litl tym hav we possest our gouernment in peac. I said, that quhen we had it, we took on us the directing of al ciuil things in the gouernment. Alace! my confusions ar great...

13. I did meit at Clous betwix Moortoun, and Leathin, and Innes about the mill....

I heard evel was determind against poor Cathr. Collace to put her out of the contre. Mani apeird at the court, but most was delayed to the next day. I returnd with Leathin hom at night. Mr. Jhon Heburn was heir. He said, Spini invented that Mr. Jhon M'Culigan had a conventicle in Calder on a Lord's day. I was angri at him, and said, that they who had said so to him had lied. I was displeasd with my owa perturbation and heat.

14. I desird to acknowledg the Lord in Mr. John Heburn, that he had a zeal and affections towards God, albeit in. I heard by Windiehills what they had don at Elgin with the poor honest peopl at the court, and I desird to acknowledg the Lord in it. 1. That they had not proceded farther. 2. That he gav them strenth and courag to bear.

15.- Calder . . . advizd me to giv an ansuer to Argyll, either to lend or contribut; and accordingli I wryt to my lord, and to Don. Campb. . . . My Son said, The E. of M. said, I would approv him in what he did at Elgin to the nonconformists. The Lord knows it is far from my hart to approv one stepp of his proceedings. Albeit I do not ether keip thes feild meitings that hav ani noic as turbulent, yet I dar not censur them that do keip them.

Mr. John Hepburn was privately licensed to preach by some Presbyterian ministers in London. After the Revolulution, he was settled minister of Urr,

where he died at an advanced age in the spring of 1723.

b Short-hand in MS.

Albeit I hold it lawful to hear, yet I dar not censur thes that do not or cannot heir.

17. Die Dom. I heard the E. of M. had sent south to the Counsel for resolution and direction.

19.-I sent to Elgin to inquir how the prisoners were.

20.-Miltoun and Tho. Gordoun wer heir this night. Efter super, Tho. Gordoun reasond with me against hearing: that it was a countenancing of Prelaci, which by aith we wer bound to extirpat. He did alledg the Leag[ue] and Covenant to be injoind by King James, and refer'd to the Assembli of Glasgow. My woful passion brok out, and I cald him a fool and gouk, that knew not what he said. He reprovd me for this, and said I was an ill, and passionat, and hott reasoner; and alace! so tru. I desir to be unfeinedli humbld under this sinful passion, and the root of it, which was pride and contempt of my brother. . . . As to the question of hearing, I said that I [neither] did receav, took, nor understood the Covenant under that sense, that I should never partak of the Word, or Sacraments, or other Ordinances from officers admitted by Bishops, nor from ani other but Presbyters. . . .

24. Die Dom. I staid at hom becaus of the tym, and the observation, and danger of the E. of M., and

_a

26-Petgauni's wyf and Miltoun wer heir. Miltoun told me, that Mr. T. Hogg would not speak to him at his hous, but turnd from him. He heard it was, 1. Becaus he appeird befor the comission of the Councel or aknowledgd them, but was not rather absent. 2. Becaus he declard not then that he would not heir, but admited it to deliberation or advic; had broken them, and weakend others.

27.-Petgauni's wyf and Miltoun went hom. Mr. James Urquhart cam heir, and Th. Gordoun. Mr. James did not approv Mr. Th. his austeriti. I heard Jhon Man had com out of the Tolbooth at Elgin, and promisd to heare. This offended honest men; and it had been better if he had declard it first.

28.--Mr. Jhon Heburn took leav of me, he going to the south. I found distanc in that he is mor rigid, and lays mor weight on the differs, and requirs a greater forwardnes and lenth in avowing and owning the differs then I doe.

30.-Tho. Gordoun told me, that Mr. James had expostulated with Mr. Tho. Hogg anent Miltoun and his carriag to him; as also anent appeiring befor the comission; and desird to withdraw quhen the summonds should com out. I desird to consider this, and I dar not adviz withdrawing, but I inclin he should stay and appeir in hop to get somthing effectuat for him.

31.- Die Dom. I did send earli to Mr. James Urquhart to com heir, partli to declin the storm, and partli to speak a word to us.

Januare 1, 1677.-I had conferenc with Mr. James [Urquhart] in the morning. Mr. Wm. Falconer cam in efter dinner. Some meat was broght to him, and I went out with him, walking to Dyk. He prest again my comming to hear him, and to giv that countenanc to his ministrie. I told him, this was not the tym, for it would be thoght fear led me, and that's an unsaf principl and rule. He told me, the E. of M. would com or send to me anent this. He said, It would be sore against his will to doe any thing against me, or ani of myn. I said, He neided not except he pleasd; for he drew the comission (I beleev) on himself, and may doe in it what he pleasd; for none but he would troubl me, yet I expected no ill at his hands; but if I wer living as neer the Bishop of St. Androes he would allow me to liv without troubl as 1 doe. I told him, that what stumbld me was ther prelaci, the civil honours as princes and not as preachers which they had, and part jurisdiction, and civil offices, which had noe warrand in Scripture. He aknowledgd that; but it was the King's will to giv it to them. 2. That all matters of the Church is in the hands of one person, Archbishop or other. 3. They ar not subject to ther brethren; but as kings and monarchs of the Church, as Lords over God's heritage, and dispenc all ordinations, censurs of excommunication, and others at ther pleasur; and ministers ar but ther substituts.

As to himself, I told him that which made me stumbl at his entri was, 1. That he enterd not by the steps of reul according to this Church. I heard he had raild at our godli reformers, Calvin, Luther, Knox, and others. 3. He had exprest his lyking to the Service Book, and all the superstitious ceremonies of England, and approvd them.

2.—I heard of the laird of Pluscarden taking poor men out of ther beds

1

to send to Franc: one poor woman distracted for her husband. I commit this caus to God who judges righteousnes.

Main, Mr. Al. Fraser, and others, wer heir. I perceavd that Mr. Al· did not hold it lawful to compeir; for it did infer an ouning of the civil magistrat to be judg in matters of religion, aud that it was as the high comission, and Bishops made judges. I exprest my dislyk of the opinion, but thoght it fre for ani to appeir or not, as seimd most for the honor of God, or his oun good.

3.-Main was in troubl, becaus of his wyf's sicknes, and becaus of the comission and courts. He inclind not to appeir.

4.-The Ladi Leathin cam heir. I had purpos to go and speak with Mr. Jhon Cuming anent the poor folk in Aldern that keips with the non-conform ministers.

6. I was exercisd the night with the expectation to be cald befor the comission, and what I should say. . . . I was anxious anent Mr. James Urquhart. Should I petition to hav him confind, and find cation not to conventicl?

9.-I cald for Mr. James Urquhart, and considerd what was fit for him to doe, becaus the summonds wer coming out. His health servd him not to goe far off. He was content to declin appeiring, and to lurk. So we determined he should go to Leathin. Lord! ordour it to good. He resolvs to declin the comission as judges if he appeird, and that would irritat. I did not consent to this opinion; for do they right or wrong, they compt to God for the using of ther power. But I hold the magistrat may convein befor him his subjects, and ar judges of meetings that tend to sedition, tumult, breaking or disturbing peac.. . . I spok to him of the poor people of Aldern, and that it was hard to bind them up from hearing thes who conformd quhen they want other ministers. But he was against this, and said, Better to want ministers then to hav naghti ministers: the apostles would not hav compted them worthi to be ministers, whoes yea was nay, or ther

nay yea.

10. I purposd to send to Calder anent Mr. Jhon M'Culican, if he could be yet spard to stay under confinment, and surti for him not to preach.

12.—I did yesterday send Ro. Murray to Tain to Mr. Th. Ross 16.-Ro. Murray cam ham from Mr. T. Ross, and I was necessitat to send him back again this day to Fouls, to cal Mr. T. Hogg thither to avoid