wrestling people well through their trials; the Lord help them to be faithful, and to endure to the end; for they have the promise of being saved. Join with his people and cast in your lot with them, and do not stand on the other side; let his cause be your cause in weal or Wo. O noble cause! O noble work! O noble heaven! O noble Christ, that makes it to be heaven! and he is the owner of the work: O noble Mediator of the new covenant! O noble Redeemer, who is powerful to help in time of need, and will help such as trust in him! There was never one that trusted in him that came to loss, he made them always up, sometimes with an hundred-fold in this life, and heaven after.

"I lay down my life, not as an evil-doer, but as a sufferer for Christ. I shall say no more, but a word or two. One is anent that which some would be informed in, Whether I took the bond that was tendered to the prisoners? I acknowledge, there was a supplication drawn up, containing two articles: one was, craving the benefit of the act of indemnity: the second was, that I should not lift arms against the king, or any in lawful authority: but because it was not authority only, but lawful authority, it was not granted. And, at that time, there were pains taken by some persons of note, who persuaded me to take the bond as it was tendered by the bloody council. Indeed it hath been a thing heavier than the sand to me, and hath made me groan, I think for that, and for many other private failings, the Lord did not give me his countenance; the Lord pardon that, as I hope he will, that I should have put my hand to a pen, and blackened paper in that supplication: but for the bond, I bless the Lord, I did not subscribe it. The second thing I am reputed guilty of is, that I supplicated for a delay some short time, and that I called it rebellion that I was at Airsmoss. Indeed I subscribed no such things: but it was only this, that it might please them to grant us some more time, for we were in confusion, because of the shortness of the time; we desired some more time, that we might get our soul's case laid to heart, and our peace made with God through Jesus Christ. I shall say no more, but wish that ye would all seek repentance in time, before it be hid from your eyes. I recommend my soul and spirit to him, that is able to save to the uttermost all that come to him through Christ ;' and desire to take my leave of all created comforts. Farewell all relations, farewell world, farewell sin. Welcome Christ, welcome heaven, and glory for evermore.

"Sic Sub.-JOHN MALCOM."

IV. JAMES SKENE.

[Mr. James Skene was brother to the Laird of Skene in Aberdeenshire. It was but lately that he had begun to attend upon the gospel, as preached in the fields, but being informed against, he was

* Cloud of Witnesses, pp. 84-95.

apprehended as a hearer of Mr. Cargill, in the month of November, 1680. Indeed, this fact, which he confessed, together with his expressed opinions in favour of the insurrections of Bothwell-bridge, and Airsmoss, and of the Sanquhar and Queensferry declarations, constituted the whole of his crime. Accordingly, on the 22d of November he was indicted for owning the rebels at Bothwell, and Airsmoss, the Rutherglen and Sanquhar proclamations, and the excommunication at Torwood;' and being found guilty on his own confession, was sentenced to be hanged on the 24th of that month. At his own desire, however, his execution was delayed till the 1st of December. His "last words consist of several letters to his friends, besides his proper testimony. In both, there occur expressions that certainly cannot be defended, and in reference to these, we insert the notes by which the original editor of the Cloud of Witnesses has attempted to explain them.]

1. HIS LETTER TO HIS Brother.

"Dear Billy,-To satisfy your desire, I send you this line, to let you know, that when I came before the council, (York and Rothes being there, two bishops, viz. Burnet and Paterson, the advocate, clerk Paterson, Linlithgow, and many more, sitters, and standers, Dalziel the general, being porter, walking proudly up and down, not as a servant) none was admitted to come in with me. I saluted them all civilly and kept off my hat, because they kept off, that they might not say that I was a Quaker. Rothes asked me, Was I at Bothwell, or Airsmoss? I answered, I was at home in the north both these times. They asked, if I did own Sanquhar declaration, and the testimony at Rutherglen? I told them, I did own them both. He asked, Did I own the king's authority? I said, in so far as it was against the covenant and interest of Christ, I disowned it. He asked me, Thought I it not a sinful murder, the killing of the Arch-prelate? I said, I thought it was their duty to kill him, when God gave them opportunity; for he had been the author of much bloodshed. They asked me, Why I carried arms? I told them, it was for self-defence, and the defence of the gospel. They asked me, Why I poisoned my ball? I told them, I wished none of them to recover whom I shot. He asked me, Why I carried a dirk? I told them, they might ask Mr. George McKenzie, if it was not our country fashion; and he presently told the chancellor that it was so. They asked, if I knew Cargill? I said, it was my comfort I knew him. Then they reproached him, and me for conversing with him. I said, I blessed God, he gave me sweet peace in it. They asked, Would I kill the soldiers, being the king's? I said, it was my duty if I could, when they persecuted God's people. They asked, if I would kill any of them? I said they were all stated enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the declaration at Sanquhar, I counted them my enemies. They asked, if I would think it my duty to kill the king? I said, he had stated himself an enemy to God's interest, and there was war declared against him. I said, the covenant made with God was the glory of Scotland, though they had unthankfully counted it their shame. And in direct terms,

1 said to the chancellor, I have a parchment at home, wherein your father's name is, and you are bound by that, as well as I. They asked, Why I called the chancellor, Sir? I said, Sir, was a title for a king, and it might serve him. The chancellor asked, if I knew his royal highness? I never saw such a person.' York looks out by (for be sat in the shadow of Bishop Burnet) and said, Why did I wish the king so ill? I said, I wish no ill to any; but as they were in opposition to God, I wished them brought down: and he spake no more. The chancellor said, Would I not adhere to the acts of parliament of this kingdom? I said, I would not own any of them which were in opposition to God and his covenant. Mr. M'Kenzie said, if the king were riding by in coach, would you think it no sin to kill him? I said, by the Sanquhar declaration there was war declared against him, and so he needed not put that, in question. So Mr. McKenzie came out by to the bar, and said, I know your relations and mine are sib ;* be ingenuous in all that is demanded of you, and I will save you from torture. I said, Sir, I know you, and ye know me and my relations; I have been as free and ingenuous as I could imagine, because I reckon it my credit, and my glory, to give a full and free confession for my blessed Lord's interest, that is reproached and borne down. They asked me where I saw Cargill last? I said, I met him last in the West Bow, to my comfort. They asked me, Who were the owners of the house?" I said, I really could not tell them, I knew them not. They said, Would I know the house? I said, Yes. They said, Would I show it to some whom they would send with me? I told them I was free in what concerned myself, but to hurt any else, I could not mar my peace with God; but if they were advertised to go out of the house, I should show it to them. Then they desired me to go my ways. The general opened the door, and rounded in my ear, Ye must go down with some soldiers, and show them that house. I said, I will not do it to hurt any; these indwellers must be advertised to flee the house first.

"Then I was ordered to the guard, which was of Linlithgow's soldiers, which took me, and walked (after Archibald Stewart and John Spreul, who were examined) to the Tron, and back to the council-house of the town: I being alone, and only six soldiers with me. I took me to prayer, and was comforted; and then sent money for meat and drink; and then worshipped in public with the soldiers. At night, a person from J— kindly wakened me, and brought me bread and ale, and sugar, and some confected carvey. After that, I was carried to a committee, where were present the chancellor, Hatton, Paterson, Justice Clerk, Wigtoun and Linlithgow: and they showed me two letters of mine to Mrs. Simpson, wherein I owned the declaration at Sanquhar, and told I would do much to persuade many that it was just, from Mr. M'Ward's advice that was given to the prisoners. I owned the letters, and told them, I did what I could to dissuade professors from paying them the cess, which they

• i. e. kindred.

ordered for bearing down the gospel: at which they laughed. The chancellor said, why did I not call him lord? I told him, were he for Christ's interest I would honour him. Then he said, he cared not for my honour; but he would have me to know he was chancellor. I said, I knew that. He said, I was not a Scotsman but a Scots beast. At which Wigtoun gloomed at him, and he laughed. He then rounded to me, that he would be my friend, would I be ingenuous. I told him, I wished him no ill. They asked me, what Mr. William Alexander was it that I wrote of? I said, Mr. Paterson the bishop, and Mr. Ross at Glasgow knew him, and persecuted him unjustly; I then related to them how it was. Paterson said, I told that which I knew not to be truth; he pitied me. He said to the chancellor, certainly I forgot to write.'I was before the justiciary court, where my confession was read, and after I read it again, and told them, I thought it my honour to subscribe to it. I assented to all that was recorded by the clerk; I owned it, and counted it my honour so to do. The justice clerk, Hatton's son, being there, said, he pitied me, I being a gentleman; he knew my friends. I said, were I an earl's son, I would esteem it my honour. I desired them to canvass well what they did, for they would be pannelled before God for it. He said, I might prepare for another world. I said, I hoped the Lord would prepare me.

6

Now, dear Billy, I have given you an account of the truth, as I confusedly remember; but I entreat you take all the praise you give me, and put it upon my Lord, for I am but a poor, simple, sinful worm : it is from him I had this courage. Wigtoun and the Justice Clerk, desired me to show them that house, saying, that I was free enough in all except that; and if I were obstinate, I might belike get the boots. I said, let them do with me what they pleased, in what concerned myself I was free, but to do hurt to others I would not, to bring them under their wrath; I would not mar my peace with God so far. The general said, he would parole to me, that the indwellers of the house should be advertised. I said, I would not have his parole. The chancellor boasted me for denying his parole. I said to the chancellor, I was a gentleman that had blood relations to his relations, the earl of Mar's mother and I being sisters' bairns. He said, he was sorry I was so related. I said, the cause I was there owning honoured me; and I would it befell my friends. So this, I hope, you will not too critically reflect on my confused writing, since I am in haste; ye know, it may be, I may be cited before these bloody men this forenoon. I will not order for my funeral till I know my sentence; I may possibly be not allowed a burial. My Lord comforts me, and I leave all on him to bear me through this storm, through the valley and shadow of death. Dear Billy, bid all ye see of our serious friends help me with their prayers, that I may be helped of the Lord to be faithful unto the death: and that he will give me the faith of assurance, that I shall enjoy my

• i. e. scolded.

Lord's love through all eternity: the want of this clouds me much, I am so unworthy a wretch. I am, dear Billy, your unworthy friend, and loving brother,

"Tolbooth of Edinburgh,

November, 1680.*

"JAMES SKENE."

"P. S. I told the chancellor, the cause was just, for which the king and others were excommunicate; though I was not there, yet I adhered to it."+

2. HIS LETTER TO THREE FRIENDS.

"Dear Friends,-The Lord having dealt so graciously with me, in wonderful free love, as to bring me to the love of himself, his truths, and despised interest; as that he engaged me in a particular covenant with himself, which, by his honouring me to make me a prisoner to evil men for his despised interest, he has evidently confirmed to me; that he accepted of my bargain with himself, when most unworthy and wretched; though many times, by reason of a prevailing body of sin and death, I provoked him to cast the bargain; yet still by new obligations he engaged me to renew it. My mercy has been great, that providence ordered some time my coming south, where most suffering has been for our Lord; and for that reason, most light has been given to professors here, that they might see what was clear duty in these trying, tempting, and backsliding times. And whenever the Lord helped me to see our covenant obligations, which are the glory of Scotland, I was serious and zealous, ye know, to impart to all of you, whom I was acquainted with: the Lord always making my love to him to abound, I thought no travel ill-wared, § or any hazard too great on any occasion, whereby I might propagate his despised interest among you. You know, how much I have contended with you for paying of that cursed cess, ordered by the convention of estates, for bearing down the gospel; as I was honoured to witness against it at a committee on Saturday last at night: you are not aware how you bring the blood of saints on your heads, by this obedience to the stated enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ: your opposing of that which was, and is the judgment of the most tender professors, in withdrawing from indulged ministers, and from these ministers that favoured them, and so did not, nor would not declare against the indulgence as a sin, that most heinously and rebelliously dishonours

This letter as given in the Cloud of Witnesses is dated thus:-"From my Lord Jesus' house, which he has made a sweet palace, wherein he shews me his wonderful free love, the close prison above the Iron-house, in the High Tolbooth of Edinburgh, November 1680."

+ Cloud of Witnesses, pp. 96-99.

This letter as given in the Cloud of Witnesses, is introduced with the following title:" Another letter from Mr. James Skene, to all professors in the shire of Aberdeen, especially, Mr. William Alexander, Mr. William Mitchell, and Mr. John Watson, my dear acquaintances. Being the last testimony for the interest of Christ from Mr James Skene, now in close prison for Christ's interest, in the tolbooth of Edinburgh."

Şi. e. ill-spent.