customary for many years, that, previous | been deprived of their parishes, were in to the communion Sabbath, a day was ap- the habit of resorting to Edinburgh, and pointed on which all who were at enmity holding "private conventicles," whereby with each other were summoned to ap- the people were stirred up, and the public pear before the kirk-session, that they peace disturbed. In answer to this commight be exhorted to lay aside their plaint, the king sent a proclamation, prestrife, give and accept forgiveness, and pared, says Calderwood, as was constantthereby prepare to make the communion ly reported, by the archbishop of St. Anindeed a feast of mutual love. It was drews; in which, after reprehending, in usual at the same time to institute some very severe terms, the conduct of the citigeneral inquiries into the conduct of the zens in listening to the "turbulent persuamembers of the session, both minister and sions of restless ministers, either deprived elders, with regard to the manner in from their functions, or confined for just which they had discharged their duties, causes," he strictly prohibited all such each member withdrawing during the in- privats conventicles. A short while afquiry into his course of life and behaviour. terwards his majesty sent a letter of cenWhile engaged in the discharge of this sure to the magistrates of Edinburgh, customary investigation, one of the citi- reprehending them severely for not giv zens complained that Mr. William Forbes, ing obedience to the Perth Articles, and recently appointed minister of one of the for remissness in the enforcement of these city churches, had taught that there articles upon others; threatening to remight easily be a reconciliation effected move from the town the Courts of Session between the Church of Rome and the and Justiciary, if these orders were not Protestant Churches. This complaint more punctually obeyed. was repeated by other respectable citizens, who requested that Mr. Forbes might be questioned by the presbytery, whether he really meant to teach doctrines subversive of the Reformation.

bad cause under a good name, and to try to blacken a good cause by fixing upon it an offensive designation.

Every attentive reader of history must often be struck with the close similarity in language and sentiment of men who lived in periods very remote from each other. It seems that oppressors are alForbes, who had been brought from ways the men who most loudly complain Aberdeen to Edinburgh expressly on ac- of resistance: the despot most vehemently count of his high prelatic opinions, was exclaims against rebellion; and the subexcessively indignant that the people verters of pure religion cry out against should presume to express disapprobation the turbulence of restless ministers. But of his doctrine. And his brethren mak- it appears to be very natural, and certaining it a common cause, applied to Spots-ly it is very easy, for men to disguise a wood and through him obtained from the king an order empowering a select number of the privy council to try those citizens for their conduct in expressing disapprobation of the doctrine of the ministers; and, in particular, for having requested that the communion might be observed in the former manner, and not according to the Articles of Perth. The result was, that William Rigg, one of the magistrates of Edinburgh, was deprived of his office, and imprisoned in the Castle of Blackness till he should pay a ruinous fine; and five other highly respectable citizens were punished, some by imprisonment, others by banishment to remote parts of the country.

The prelatic party being somewhat alarmed by the spirit manifested in this trial, complained to the king that several of the non-conforming ministers who had

[1625] King James had determined to have Christmas celebrated with extreme pomp and ceremony, as a public triumph; and had given orders to that effect; but the plague breaking out in Edinburgh, suspended his scheme. As Easter approached he renewed his commands, to prepare for celebrating the communion on that day, in conformity with the Articles of Perth, threatening very severe punishment to all who should refuse implicit obedience. But the close of his despotic career was at hand. On the 27th of March 1625, he departed this life, leaving behind him a kingdom sunk from glory to disgrace through his mean misgovernment; filled with the elements of private strife and social discord, ferment

ing and heaving onward to a revolution; | ing doubt respecting his intentions, the -a son, the inheritor of his despotic prin- king issued a proclamation on the 1st of ciples, and of all the evils which they had engendered;-and a name, lauded by a few prelatic flatterers, who could term their "earthly creator" the "Solomon of the age," but scorned by the haughty, mocked by the witty, despised by men of learning and genius, and not hated, only because pitied and deplored, by the persecuted yet loyal and forgiving Church of Scotland.

August, commanding conformity to the Perth Articles, and ordering severe and rigorous punishment to be inflicted on all who dared to disobey. Next month, September, a royal letter was sent to the town-council of Edinburgh, commanding them to choose for magistrates those only who observed the Articles of Perth. By this arbitrary command a sufficiently plain indication was given of the principles held by the young king, and a proof that he meant to carry into effect that despotism which his father held in theory, but wanted firmness and tenacity of purpose to enforce.

The death of King James paralyzed the power of the prelatic party for a time, and allowed many of the persecuted Presbyterians to escape from actual, and also from threatened sufferings. The proceedings against the Edinburgh citi- The greater firmness of purpose by zens were suspended, Robert Bruce re- which Charles was characterized imturned from Inverness, David Dickson pelled him to the adoption of more deciwas allowed to resume without interrup-sive, but also more dangerous measures, tion the discharge of his ministry at than those which his father had emIrvine, and many other sufferers for the ployed. One of these, essential to his sake of truth and conscience obtained a future schemes, was at the same time both temporary respite. The direct reason of ungracious in itself, and calculated to exthis cessation of the prelates from their cite the jealousy of the nobles with regard tyrannical procedure was, that the Court to a matter in which they felt peculiarly of High Commission expired with the sensitive. Charles was well aware, that monarch, from whose arbitrary will it de- if he expected Prelacy to take ere long rived its existence. The people of Scot- the same high ground in Scotland which land could not fail to perceive, that the it occupied in England, he must not prelates were the instigators, and even merely secure to the prelates their titles, the perpetrators, of all the judicial despo- but also reinstate them in the possession tism under which they had so long of their wealth and power. The first groaned; so that this very cessation of step towards the execution of that design their sufferings would increase their de- was taken in November 1625, when by testation of the system under which they proclamation his majesty revoked all the had suffered, and of the men by whom deeds of his father in prejudice of the these sufferings had been inflicted. Crown. This, it was tolerably evident, Although the death of one sovereign was preparatory to a resumption of those and the accession of another caused a crown lands, many of them previously suspension of the active progress of pre- church lands, which his father had latic domination, till the intentions of the erected into temporal lordships, and benew monarch should be known, and stowed upon his unworthy favourites, allowed a brief breathing time to the and upon others whose support he wished ministers and people, yet the relief was to secure. But as no direct consequences but slight, and the favourable hopes enter- immediately followed the proclamation, tained by the Presbyterians were soon the jealousy of the nobles partially subclouded with doubts. Soon after his ac-sided, though it did not entirely pass cession to the throne, Charles I. wrote to Archbishop Spotswood, directing him to proceed with the affairs of the Church as formerly, and assuring him that it was his majesty's special will to have all the laws enforced which had been enacted in the former reign concerning ecclesiastical affairs; and, as if to remove all remain

away.

[1626.] Although the king's attention was very much occupied with the Spanish war in which he was engaged with little success, and also with those beginnings of resistance to his arbitrary conduct in England which ought to have warned him to desist from his dangerous course,

the Presbyterian Church than the most direct and fierce persecution. But the intolerant zeal of the prelates could not endure this wary policy, even on account of what made it dangerous,-its lenient aspect. It is probable that this scheme was devised by Spotswood; but the younger prelates, and those who expected to reach the prelacy, were beginning to obtain a greater influence with the king than his more aged and sagacious counsellors.

he nevertheless found leisure to interfere | try. This measure was one of deep and in Scottish affairs enough to increase the dangerous policy; and its steady operadissatisfaction already prevalent. The tion would have been far more deadly to Scottish nobles were not sufficiently servile for a monach so arbitrary. He resolved, therefore, to make extensive changes throughout the whole public administration of the kingdom, removing men of independent mind, and introducing those who would be subservient to his will. He remodelled the Courts of Session and the Justiciary, the privy council, and the Lords of the Exchequer, placing several of the prelates in the two latter departments; and he erected a Commission of Grievances, which occupied the position of the Star Chamber in England, reviving also the Court of High Commission, created in the former reign. By these changes the king hoped to cut off all opposition, and to obtain the means of carrying all his measures into execution.

These alterations having been made, and a little time allowed for the new officials to become acquainted with their duties, a convention of estates was held in July the same year, for the purpose of proceeding with the recovery of the tithes and the church lands. But the opposition of the nobility was still too strong; and all that the convention did was naming four of each estate as a commission, to examine the state of the teinds, to ascertain who were the proprietors, and by what tenure they were held. The titulars and possessors of teinds not relishing this intended inquiry, sent the Earls of Rothes, Linlithgow, and Loudon, as a deputation to endeavour to prevail upon the king to abandon that measure; but their efforts proved ineffectual.

An at

[1627.] Early in the year 1627, commissioners from the Church were sent to the king, to supplicate his majesty for certain important alterations and improvements in ecclesiastical matters. tempt was made to give to this deputation the aspect of being a full representation of the whole Church, both the Prelatic. and the Presbyterian parties; but the overbearing conduct of the prelatists caused the Presbyterian commissioner to withdraw, so that the purpose remained unaccomplished.

The commissioners for the teinds also prosecuted their labours, but with little success. Yet a tolerably complete return of the state of teinds throughout the country having been obtained, it was resolved that every man should have liberty to purchase back his own teind at a reasonable price, and all were required to come to the commissioners for that purpose. Although this measure was introduced at first with a view to prepare for the restoration of Prelacy to all its golden honours, it has proved, on the whole, very beneficial to the Church and the About the same time Charles did one people of Scotland, by being instrumental of the few even seemingly prudent acts in removing the obstacles which the meof his strangely imprudent life. He or-thod of levying tithes in kind opposes to dained that such of the ministers as had national prosperity and peace. been admitted before the Assembly of 1618, should not be compelled to conform to the Perth Articles, provided they did not publicly assail the king's authority and the form of church government; and that all who had been banished, confined, or suspended, should be restored to their charges on the same condition; but that conformity should be strictly enforced on all who had been admitted since 1618, and on every new entrant into the minis

[1628.] In the spring of 1628, a meeting of synod was held in Edinburgh, in which, after long and earnest reasoning, it was resolved to send a deputation to his majesty, to entreat release from the compulsive obligation to comply with the Perth Articles, especially that of kneeling at the communion, to which the people could not be brought to submit. But the king expressed himself highly displeased that the people durst presume to petition

[1629.] Nothing of peculiar public importance occurred during the year 1629, nothing, indeed, except the continuation of the insolence displayed and the persecutions inflicted on the Presbyterian ministers and people by the prelates. Some attempts were made to induce the

suffering people; but he paid no attention to the statement of grievances which they laid before him. Previous to this time there had been some symptoms of division in the prelatic party, although Spotswood continued to be regarded as its head; but now the younger prelates began to undermine his influence with the king. The most active of these intriguers was John Maxwell, at that time one of the ministers of Edinburgh, and soon afterwards bishop of Ross. This able and unscrupulous man contrived to work himself into the confidence of the notorious Laud, by whose pernicious counsels the king was almost entirely guided. In this manner there arose a decided and

against a measure which had his approbation; and commanded that condign punishment should be inflicted on the petitioners, to deter others from the like presumption. The result was, there was no communion at Edinburgh that year. The king seems to have thought that the public mind was now sufficiently pre-king himself to interpose in behalf of his pared for the act of revocation which he meditated. In order, however, to introduce it as plausibly as might be, he privately purchased the abbey of Arbroath from the Marquis of Hamilton, and the lordship of Glasgow from the Duke of Lennox, and gave them to the two archbishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow, giving to the transaction such an aspect as if these two noblemen had voluntarily surrendered that property. By this and several similar private purchases of estates, Charles hoped to induce the nobility and gentry to comply with the act of revocation. But when he sent the Earl of Nithsdale to propose the measure to a convention of estates, with this inducement, that those who would willingly sub-growing dissention among the prelates; mit should experience his majesty's favour, while the most rigorous proceedings should be instituted against those who refused, the nobility instantly determined to resist, and to employ force if arguments should not prevail. It was resolved at a private meeting of the irritated barons, that if Nithsdale should continue to press the measure, he and his adherents should be assailed and put to death in the open court. So determinedly was this purpose entertained, that Lord Belhaven, a man blind by very age, requested to be placed beside one of Nithsdale's party, and he would make sure of that one. Being set beside the Earl of Dumfries, and holding him fast with one hand, apologizing for doing so, as necessary for support in his blindness, he clutched fast with the other the hilt of a dagger, which he kept concealed in his bosom, ready to plunge it into the heart of his victim, should the signal for violence be given. But the Earl of Nithsdale read enough in the stern and frowning looks of the Scottish barons around him, to induce him to suppress the main part of his instructions, and to give up the attempt as hopeless.

Burnet's History of his own Times, folio edition of 1724, pp. 20, 21.

and the violence of the younger and more impetuous party had the effect of stimulating the rash despotism of the king, and increasing the hostility of the nobles, who could not brook the insolence and pride of these haughty churchmen.

[1630.] In the year 1630, Maxwell, who had been at London on some private commission, brought down from the king a letter to Spotswood, directing him to convene the other prelates, and the most prelatic of the ministers, and to inform them, that it was his majesty's pleasure that the whole order of the Church of England should be received in Scotland. "This," Wodrow says in his life of Spotswood," was the first motion for the English liturgy in Scotland, in King Charles's reign." The most prudent of the prelates, apprehensive of the consequences, opposed this measure as too dangerous, considering the already excited state of the country, and it was postponed. In July the same year, at a convention of estates, the non-conforming ministers gave in a paper of grievances, of which they craved redress; but though it was supported by several of the nobility, it was not permitted to be read.

[1631] The year 1631 is chiefly remarkable for the progress made by the

commissioners of teinds, in the discharge | potism of kings, the plots of courtiers, of their duty. The landed proprietors and the perfidious ambition of prelates. began to perceive the advantage of obtaining possession of their own teinds at a moderate price, and many accordingly applied to the commissioners, and made the purchase. Some attempts were made | this year by the prelatic party to introduce organs, choristers, surplices, and the other mummeries of the cathedral service, with little success.

Reference has already been made to the remarkable effects which frequently attended the preaching of Robert Bruce, both before he was banished from Edinburgh, and in his various places of confinement. Had the prelates understood the influence of a man thus highly honoured by success in his divine Master's work, they would have either left him untouched, or put him to utter silence. But while they sent him, in the wantonness of their malicious power, from dis

[1632.] Some changes took place among the prelates this year, by which, instead of being strengthened, they were hurried forward to their suicidal doom.trict to district of the kingdom, they even Law, archbishop of Glasgow, died, and Lindsay, bishop of Ross, was appointed to succeed him, and Maxwell was raised to the bishopric of Ross. But this promotion only opened the way to others, to which his elevation to the prelacy rendered him eligible; and in a short time Maxwell became a lord of session, a lord of exchequer, and a member of the privy council; by which accumulation of of fices, belike, he thought that he was most convincingly proving the scriptural character of Prelacy, and his own indubitable claims to the sacredness of pure apostolical succession !

All further innovations were suspended for a time, in consequence of his majesty having intimated that it was his intention to visit his ancient kingdom next year, to be formally crowned king of Scotland, and to make all the arrangements which might be desirable for promoting the peace and happiness of that portion of his dominions. The preparations f that visit, which were made on the most magnificent scale, so thoroughly occupied the public mind, that almost every thing else was disregarded, all men vieing with each other how they might best do honour to the long-expected visit of their native king.

The preceding brief outline of the progress of public events, from the accession of Charles to the year in which he purposed to visit Scotland, has been given, that the reader might obtain a continuous view of the external aspect of what was done or attempted. And for the same reason it is now intended to retrace the same period of years, that a continuous view may be obtained of matters immeasurably more important than the des

compelled him to kindle in many quarters that sacred fire by which they were destined to be consumed. Many able and fervent young ministers were deeply impressed by what they heard uttered by the venerable man; and thus his principles were infused into the minds of men in the rising prime of life, able and willing to expend their unbroken energies in the sacred causė. There were few of the eminent men of that day who did not cheerfully acknowledge how much, under God, they owed to Bruce.

But there were many other ministers of decided piety, whose labours the Head of the Church also owned and blessed to a very great extent. Of these, David Dickson of Irvine deserves particular mention. It has been already stated, that he was so greatly beloved by his congregation, that when brought before the court of the tyrannical prelates, every effort was made by the devoted flock to secure the enjoyment of their pastor's precious labours. They did not at first succeed; but in the year 1624, he was allowed to return to Irvine, and remain there during their majesty's pleasure. Suffering in Christ's cause gives a very deeply spiritual character to a Christain minister's labours. Soon after Mr. Dickson's return to his charge, striking effects began to appear among his people, and in the adjoining parish of Stewarton, where he frequently preached. This remarkable revival of vital religion began, it appears, in 1625, and lasted for about five years. "This," says Fleming, "by the profane rabble of that time was called the Stewarton sickness; for in that parish first, but afterwards through much of that country, particularly at Irvine under