shall not trouble you with much speaking, because I am not expert in it, but only to let you know, that I am not come here to die as a fool, for I am sentenced to die here, because I would not call it rebellion-my being with my friends at Bothwell-bridge, and because I would not take that bond, binding me hereafter, never to lift arms against the king nor his authority; which thing in conscience I could not do: for whatever others think of it, to me it says, that it is a denying of all appearances for Christ and his cause, that hath formerly been: and likewise it says to me, that we shall never any more lift arms for the defence of Christ's gospel against any party whatsoever that seems to oppose it, which is far from the word of God' If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him,'-and the Covenants, National and Solemn League, which was publicly burnt in our nation (for which God in his own time will yet arise) which we are bound to maintain." And turning to his friends, he said, “1. I am here this day to lay down my life, in opposition to, and to be a witness against all those wrongs done to our Lord and his interests, and to testify against popery, prelacy, and malignancy, and indulgence first and last, and against all things contrary to sound doctrine whatsoever. And I bear my testimony unto, and own our Covenants, National and Solemn League-adhering to our Confession of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechisms. 2. I have this day to say, that because we and the rest of the people of God, that desire to own him, and adhere to his ways, are branded with Quakerism and Jesuitism,-I therefore leave my testimony against all these errors; and more particularly I do, because they are the only party now in Scotland that cleave to him and his ways, that are branded with it. And so, as a dying man this day, (smiling) I enter my testimony against all those that are contrary to the word of God and sound doctrine; and declare before him whom I must shortly appear before, and before you all, we own no such thing." Next he said, "I here protest against that abominable cess for the down-bearing of the work of God, and for the managing and strengthening the hands of evil-doers, I shall be a standing witness against all that have paid, or shall persist or go on in paying it hereafter, unless they repent. Yea, I shall be a hanging witness against them; and although my body will rot, yet the witness shall stand sure." And going to prayer, he said, "Now, Sirs, I am not a whit discouraged to see my three brethren hanging before mine eyes, nor before all this multitude to pray." And then he prayed.*

5. JOHN CLyde.

JOHN CLYDE, after he had gone to the ladder, said, “I think our being fetched here is like that which we have, in scripture, about Herodias' suit to Herod anent John the Baptist's head, to gratify the insatiableness of that lewd woman: nothing would satisfy the lust of our persecutors but our blood, and in this manner and place, to gratify the bishop's friends. But the ground of my being sentenced is, because I was found in arms with that poor handful at Bothwell

• Naphtali, pp. 502-504.

bridge, and would not call it rebellion, and because I would not take that bond,-which thing I had in my offer, and my life upon the taking of it, and was threatened by some to take it, and allured and persuaded by others, but which I could not in conscience do, because it binds me hereafter that I should not appear for Christ and his cause. And I durst not do it, Sirs, for I was not sure of my life, no not one moment; and likewise, I durst not procure the wrath of God at such a rate; for I judge the loss of my soul to be more hazardful, than the loss of the life of my body, and likewise more hazard in offending of God, than in gaining the greatest advantage in the world. I could not stay at home, but judged it my duty to come forth, for I could not see how I could evite that curse,- Curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly, those that would not come out to the help of the Lord against the mighty.' And I bless the Lord for keeping me straight;-I desire to speak it to the commendation of free grace;—and this I am speaking from my own experience, that there are none who will lippen to God and depend upon him for direction, but they shall be kept straight and right; but to be promised to be kept from tribulation, that is not the bargain, for he hath said, that through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom; for he deals not with us as Satan does, for Satan lets us see the bonniest side of the tentation, but our Lord Jesus lets us see the roughest side and the blackest,—after that the sweetest thing comes; and he tells us the worst thing that will happen to us. For he hath not promised to keep us from trouble, but he hath promised to be with us in it, and what needs more? I bless the Lord for keeping me to this very hour; for little would I have thought a twelvemonth since, that the Lord would have taken a poor ploughman lad, and have honoured me so highly, as to have made me first appear for him, and then keep me straight, and now hath kept me to this very hour to lay down my life for him." At the ladder foot he said to his brother, "Weep not for me, brother, but weep for yourself, and the poor land, and seek God and make him sure for yourself, and he shall be better to you than ten brethren. Now, farewell all friends and relations, farewell brother, sister, and mother; and welcome Lord Jesus; into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And lifting up the napkin off his face he said, "Dear friends, be not discouraged because of the cross, nor at this ye have seen this day, for I hope you have seen no discouragement in me, and you shall see no more !"*

• Naphtali, p. 505.

THE

LAST WORDS

AND

DYING TESTIMONIES

OF THE

SCOTS WORTHIES.

PART THIRD:

COMPREHENding testimONIES THAT WERE EMITTed, between THE YEARS 1680 AND 1688.

I. DAVID HACKSTON.

[Mr. Hackston is the first instance of Martyrdom, which occurred in Scotland, since the executions that immediately followed upon the Battle of Bothwell-bridge. He was the Laird of Rathillet in Fife; and having shared in the oppressions exercised by Carmichael, the Sheriff of that county,-had engaged, on purpose to avenge them, with the party who, on the 3d of May, 1679, attacked and slew the Archbishop of St. Andrews. In this event, however, it is well known he did not participate farther than being present when it took place. But immediately after, he joined the Covenanters in Evandale, and both at Drumclog and Bothwell-bridge held a considerable command. After this, he was frequently searched for, but still escaped-till having joined the followers of Richard Cameron, and being with them when attacked at Airsmoss, on the 22d of July 1680, he was, after making a stout resistance and receiving many wounds, taken prisoner and carried to Edinburgh. Here the council directed that he should receive the most contumelious usage, put him to the torture, and determined that he should die, by a mode of execution the most barbarous and revolting which can possibly be conceived. He was brought

• In reference to the humiliating treatment which he received while alive, and the inhuman cruelty which marked his execution, the reader may peruse the two following extracts from Wodrow's History.

"Upon the account of his being taken, the Council, July 24, gave the following orders about him: The magistrates of Edinburgh are appointed, as soon

before the Justiciary, but having declined its authority as he had already declined that of the King and Council, he was forthwith sentenced; and executed accordingly on the 30th of July 1680, at the cross of Edinburgh. His Testimony to the truth for which he suffered is contained in the following Letters, written shortly before his death.]

1. TO HIS CHRISTIAN FRIEND N——. "Tolbooth of Edinburgh, July 26th, 1680.-Dear Acquaintance, I know, this late dispensation of Providence will occasion much sadness to you, and other lovers of the Lord's truth, now in this day; when so few, by their practice, prove themselves to be zealous for God, or lovers of his truth,—but, instead of that growth in the graces of God's Spirit, and stedfastness which should be in Christians, have made defection from the truth, and are fallen from their first love, to the strengthening the hands of usurpers of the crown of Christ, in their

as the body of D. Hackston of Rathillet is brought to the Water-Gate, to receive him, and mount him on a bare backed horse with his face to the tail, and his feet tied beneath his belly, and his hands fastened with ropes; that the executioner with head covered, and his coat, lead his horse up the street to the Tolbooth, the said Hackston being bareheaded; that the three other prisoners be conveyed on foot, bareheaded, after him, with their hands tied to a goad of iron ordain the said executioner to carry the head of Cameron on a halbert, from the Water-Gate to the Council house, that no meat or drink be given to Hackston after he is in prison, but what is prepared in the master of the Tolbooth's house; that none speak with him, or any letter be conveyed to him; that the master of the Tolbooth have a special care of his person, as he will be answerable, life for life.' One of the bailies of Edinburgh, and John Vanse, master of the Tolbooth, are called, and these orders given them.

"No reflections are necessary upon these severe orders. In the afternoon, he and the other prisoners were examined before the Council, but the particulars are not insert in their books. July 27, they order the advocate to pursue a criminal process against him upon Thursday, and reserve the appointment of the time and manner of his execution to themselves."

"July 29, the Council, the day before Rathillet's trial, determine the manner of his execution: they well knew his judges would find him guilty; yet this seems an extraordinary step. It stands in their books as follows: That his body be drawn backward on a hurdle to the cross of Edinburgh; that there be an high scaffold erected a little above the cross, where, in the first place, his right band is to be struck off, and after some time his left hand: then he is to be hanged up and cut down alive, his bowels to be taken out, and his heart shown to the people by the hangman; then his heart and his bowels to be burnt in a fire prepared for that purpose on the scaffold; that afterwards his head be cut off, and his body divided into four quarters; his head to be fixed on the Netherbow, one of his quarters with both his hands to be affixed at St. Andrews, another quarter at Glasgow, a third at Leith, a fourth at Burntisland; that none presume to be in mourning for him, or any coffin brought; that no persons be suffered to be on the scaffold with him, save the two bailies, the executioner, and his servants; that he be allowed to pray to God Almighty, but not to speak to the people; that the heads of Cameron and John Fowler be affixed on the Netherbow; that Hackston's and Cameron's heads be affixed on higher poles than the rest.' These orders, with such as were before given at his coming into Edinburgh, are so spiteful, inhuman, and barbarous, that I wonder how they were fallen upon by the managers, or what they could design by them."-Wodrow's Hist. v. ii.

unlawful encroachments on the privileges of the Son of God. Wherefore I entreat you, and all others, as you would not offend God, and provoke him to more anger, do not murmur, but bless and praise him, and submit to him in all humility; for if this be one of the steps of Zion's deliverance, and God's glory, why should not we praise him for every thing? If we had the manner of our delivery at our carving, we would spoil it. He is the wisdom of the Father, who sits at the helm and orders all affairs. The faith of this would silence all suggestions from Satan, our own hearts, and misbelief. I desire you would charge all that have love or affection to me, not to be sad on my account, but rather to rejoice on my behalf, that God hath so honoured me in all I have been trysted with: for, as he took me when I was a slave to Satan and sin, and cast his love upon me, and plucked me as a brand out of the fire, and brought me into covenant with him, to promote and carry forward his work, without fear of what man can do unto me; and as he helped me to make the bargain with him upon good terms, which was a renouncing of my own strength, and a resolution to do all in his strength; so now he hath been faithful in all things to me, and hath furnished me sufficiently for what he hath called me to, and hath passed by my many gross failings and breaches of my conditions to him, and hath done to me above what I could ask of him. O that I could commend him to all, and stir up all to fear, admire, and praise him, and believe on him! But the lukewarmness and want of love to God, and indifferency in Christ's matters, (which in his condescendency to his church he hath reserved as his declarative glory) and neutrality in these things, are come to so great a height among professors, that, I think, God is laying a stumbling-block before them, one after another, that when they are fallen (whom he will have to fall) he may be glorified in his justice, by bringing that stroke of vengeance that seems to be hanging over these lands;-because of the fearful idolatry, perjury, bloodshed, blasphemy, and other abominations, the whole land is, this day, guilty of. Think it not strange that I say, all are guilty; there are none free, nor shall be reputed free in the sight of God, but mourners in Zion. Lord grant repentance, and a spirit of mourning; brokenness and contrition of spirit is the only sacrifice well-pleasing unto God; and I prove all guilty. First, our representatives, (and so we in them) established these sins, in our national decrees, which we have homologate in owning them ever after; and much more have we homologate their sins, in contributing, one way or other, to the strengthening of their hands against God;-as alas, but few be free of this, this day! O that preachers would preach repentance, and professors would exhort one another to mourn, in secret and together, because of sin; and with their mourning would believe;―for these are very consistent together. I find flesh and blood great enemies to faith, and friends, yea, fosterers of sinful fears. It is above nature to believe, especially when dispensations seem to contradict our faith: but if any hath faith towards God concerning me, let not this brangle their faith, but rather strengthen; there is nothing can contradict what God hath determined; but over the belly of all opposition he will perfect his work in and by me, either to a