For the defence of his truth and ecclesiastical discipline* contained therein, and has of his careful providence given lively experience of the performance of that promise which his Son, my Saviour, made, that whosoever shall forsake house, father, mother, brethren, sister, wife, or children, for his name's sake, or the Gospel's, should receive a hundred fold now at this present, and life everlasting in the world to come. Not only to the most godly and learned brethren and sisters among the strangers, and especially in the godly family whereinto the Lord brought me, and wherein I have been most savingly entertained, at my heart's desire, but also to so many of my brethren and fellowlabourers in the evangel with me, of my own country, whose kindness, courtesy, and good offices towards me shown, I wish the Lord to register to the one and to the other. And now turning my exhortation to my faithful brethren whom God has called to dispense the holy mysteries of his word and sacraments, whose days it shall please the Lord to prolong after my departure, I beseech them all in the bowels of Jesus Christ, that they take heed that they employ their whole studies during whatsoever time shall be granted them on the face of the earth, to prosecute their good course to benefit the people committed to their care, by preaching the glad tidings of salvation, in season and out of season, neither for lucre nor for the fashion, but earnestly, zealously, and with ready mind, in promoving, planting, and advancing that holy ecclesiastical discipline, in the house of God, which is established in his word, and so much the more valiantly and constantly to stand in defence thereof, that Satan's supports (pseudoepiscopalians) and grievous wolves are entered in and umpiring as if they were lords over God's heritage, whom neither the apostle Paul, nor any part of the word of God, did ever allow maliciously to • Mr. Lawson had no doubt suffered much anxiety of mind, in common with every lover of the presbyterian church, with regard to the means and measures which had lately been adopted to subvert and destroy it. Early in 1584, a parliament was held, by which the liberties of both church and state were laid at the feet of the king and of those by whom he was guided. To decline the judgment of his majesty or of the privy council in any matter, was declared to be treason; all that the church had done towards the abolition of episcopacy was pronounced unlawful; all church courts, such as assemblies, presbyteries, and even sessions, were suppressed, the bishops made commissioners on ecclesiastical causes, and all animadversions on the acts of govern ment, either private or public, strictly prohibited. Against these "black acts," as they were called, not a nobleman, baron, or burgess ventured to open his mouth. Some of the ministers repaired to the parliament house with the design of protesting for the rights of the church, but were not admitted. The magistrates of Edinburgh received orders to drag from the pulpit any individual, who presumed to censure what the parliament had done. But this did not deter Mr. Lawson and his colleagues from exonerating their consciences; and, when the acts were proclaimed at the market-cross of Edinburgh, they, “ taking their lives in their hands, went boldly and made public protestation" against them, with all the ceremonies usual on such occasions. This boldness, however, had nearly cost them their lives. Orders were immediately issued to apprehend them, and they only saved themselves by a timely flight into England, where they were soon after joined by almost twenty others of their brethren.See M'Crie's Life of Melville, vol. i. p. 222. impugn the same. And as concerning the flock of Edinburgh, howbeit this body of mine has greatly wasted, yet I repent me nothing of my travail there, being assured that the Lord has there a kirk which unfeignedly fear his name, and for whose salvation the Lord has made my ministry profitable. Therefore, from my very heart I leave my blessing to all the faithful there, who dearly love the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; and my God, blessed for ever, bless them not only with true and faithful labourers in the ministry, and to preserve them from ravenous wolves, but also with continual increase, with all godliness and perseverance in that true faith and doctrine which I have taught among them, and at last with everlasting life in heaven, whereby both they and I shall mutually rejoice. And for a few others, whose names, in charity, I suppress, who, as they grieved my heart oftentimes while I was present with them, by resisting the upright and godly cause, and assisting the enemy, so now, since my departure from them, through their subscribing that false and infamous libel set out against us, their pastors, and sundry other unthankful dealings, which we neither merited nor looked for at their hands, they have done what in them lay, to wound the same; for my part, I forgive them with my heart; and seeing they would colour their baseness under the shadow of obedience to a superior power, I beseech the Lord to forgive the king for obtruding that letter, injuriously exacting their subscription thereunto, and to give them both true repentance therefor, and not lay the burden thereof to their charge, nor leave at their hands my blood. May the same Lord open the king's eyes to behold in what hazard he has brought the true religion, his own person, fame, and state, together with the best and most obedient subjects within his realm, and give him grace in time to withdraw himself from these pestilent and wicked counsellors wherewith he environed, and leave that unhappy course wherein he has wrapt nimself, most fearfully, to the great danger of his body and soul, unless he repent. Amen. Amen. In addition to the bodily disease under which Mr. Lawson was doomed to suffer, almost ever since his arrival in England, a disease which seems to have been induced by the air of that country, though no doubt aggravated by the sorrow and disappointment which he felt at the state of matters in Scotland, he was shocked and wounded in his best feelings by another circumstance. It appears he had joined with his colleague in addressing a letter to the inhabitants of Edinburgh, stating the reasons of their flight. To this letter a reply was immediately drawn up by archbishop Adamson, in name of the congregation, couched in the harshest and most contumelious terms, denominating them fugitives, rebels, and wolves, and renouncing all connexion with them. This disgraceful paper was immediately sent by the king to the town council, accompanied with an injunction, that it should be subscribed by them and the principal inhabitants; and by the threats and importunities of the court, a number of persons were induced to set their names to it. It is to this fact that Mr. Lawson alludes in the above passage; and it seems to have made a deeper impression on his mind than perhaps, considering the character of the individuals, it ought to have done; but this, when we take into account the delicacy of his feelings, under a sinking frame, and the unhappy circumstances in which he was otherwise placed, was not wonderful-See M'Crie's Life of Andrew Melville, vol. i. p. 233. "And now I recommend my soul into the hands of my heavenly Father, the Creator thereof, and to Jesus Christ my only Redeemer and Saviour, by whom the parts of heaven are made patent unto me, willing my trusty and dearly beloved brethren, insert witnesses of this my will, to cause bury my body in that place and after that manner which shall seem good unto them, there to sleep until the day of the joyful resurrection to life everlasting, when my soul and body joined together shall have the full fruition of His face with the bodies and souls of all the faithful. And now, concerning the ordering of my family, seeing the possession of earthly things is not able to enrich my posterity;-I desire as God is the Father of the fatherless and Comforter of the widow's case, by the riches of his blessing to supply their poverty; and touching the portion of goods given to me I put the same in the hands of my most special friends, Robert Fairly of Braid, Mr. John Lindsay senator of the college of justice, John Johnston, Elphingston, burgess of Edinburgh, with my loving spouse Janet Guthrie, whom I constitute executors of this my testament, and they with common consent shall choose one or more of their number to whose fidelity the intromission shall be committed upon sufficient security that all things shall come to the use of my children; which burden I most earnestly request them to take upon them for the love and familiar conjunction that has been betwixt us in Christ, giving power to them to make and subscribe an inventure of my books, household gear, and other moveables left behind me in Scotland, wherever they shall be transported, and also praying my beloved brethren, the witnesses underwritten in this testament, to make and subscribe another inventure of my books, clothes, and other moveables which I have in London, and deliver them to be kept by my brother Mr. Walter Balcanquall; the whole books, clothes, and other moveables, and household gear, whatsoever, contained in the said inventures, to be set at reasonable prices, and to be sold at the sight and appointment of my said executors and intromitters, and that part thereof which shall of right be judged by them to appertain to me, shall be divided into four equal portions, to my wife and three children, to bring them up in the fear of God at the schools, in such company as their wisdom shall think most meet and expedient. And, as touching the gold and silver presently in my possession here, amount. ing in whole to the number of 76 pieces,* I have committed them to the credit of Mr. Walter Balcanquall, to be disposed as follows: Imprimis, He shall deliver to the French kirk at London, three angels, to be distributed to their poor. Item, To Mrs. Vanual, who kept me in my sickness, an angel. Item, I will that my loving brother, Mr. James Carmichael, shall take a rose-noble instantly, and deliver it to my dear brother and loving friend, Mr. Walter Balcanquall, who has been so careful of me at all times, and especially in time of my present sickness, to remain with him as a perpetual token of my special love and * Here there was a very curious and minute inventory given of the various coins possessed by Mr. Lawson at the time, which, however, it was not thought necessary to insert here, more especially considering the particular object, with which his latter will has been introduced into the volume thankful heart towards him. Item, I will that the said Mr. Walter deliver in my name to my dear and well beloved spouse, Janet Guthrie, beside other provision made, or that may fall unto her by my testament, the Portugal ducat, in sign of my loving kindness, which she has well deserved, as a faithful brother gave the same to me as a pledge of his singular love towards me. And touching the pieces of gold and English silver, resting of the sum foresaid, I will that the said Mr. Walter deliver the same, bona fide, to my said executors, which gold and silver, resting, I will that my said executors bestow in the manner following: Imprimis, To my sister, Christian Lawson, the sum of twenty pounds Scots, and all the rest to be equally parted betwixt my three bairns, in three portions: providing always, that the recompense of the physicians, apothecaries, and whatsoever expenses necessary shall be made in time of my sickness, or shall be owed by me in London, when it shall please God to call me out of this valley of misery, which is just debt, and which I am owing presently, or any expense in transporting my graith home, be first paid to my brother Mr. Balcanquall at the sight of the said brethren, of the readiest of the said sum, which shall be disbursed thereof, by the said executors after the sight of the ticket thereof, by the said brethren, which shall be a sufficient discharge unto him for the same. Lastly, I earnestly request of my loving brethren, Mr. Andrew Melville, Mr. John Davidson, and Mr. James Carmichael, to concur with my brother Mr. Walter Balcanquall in revising my written books and papers as well at London as elsewhere, and use the same as they think may best serve for the glory of God and comfort of the kirk, and my will is, that my said executors deliver them thankfully unto their hands, giving power also to my said executors to put this my testament, if need be, in more exquisite and ample form with all clauses requisite, the substance always being reserved. In witness and verification of this my testament and constant will, in the premises, and in confirmation of my testament, written at my request by Mr. James Carmichael, I, the said Mr. James Lawson, hath subscribed the same with my hand,† and desire my good and trusty friends, Mr. • It appears that Mr. Lawson, in his books and papers, left many proofs of his talents and industry, but we are not aware that any of his writings were published, though they must no doubt have been highly valuable from the "zeal, learning, and eloquence," ascribed to him, by his cotemporaries. Perhaps it may appear to some that, viewed as a testimony to a man's religious tenets, there is here a degree of minute formality which might have been dispensed with. Regarded as a legal deed anent the disposition of his property, perhaps some attention to this may be allowed to have been necessary; but the truth is, that it was in the former rather than the latter of these views that the designs and sentiments of the testator were, in the times in which he lived, liable to be misrepresented. And such, in point of fact, was the virulence of party feeling against him, that archbishop Adamson, on hearing of his death, wrote a testament in his name, containing a recantation of his principles, and also a variety of letters to his brethren, in which he is inade to reflect on their conduct and motives in opposing the king and bishops! It was thus that acts which, at the present day, would disgrace and criminate the humblest citizen in the eyes of his countrymen, were then resorted to by men in the highest stations in life, with a view to supporting a cause which had no footing of itself in the feelings of the people. Andrew Melville, provost of the new college of St. Andrews, Mr. James Carmichael, minister of God's word in Haddington, Mr. John Davidson, minister of God's word at Libberton, and Mr. Walter Balcanquall, my colleague, in the ministry at Edinburgh, to testify the same by their handwriting, the which also they did in my presence, after we had all heard the same distinctly read, day, month, year, and place foresaid. Mr. ANDREW MELVILLE, Mr. JOHN DAVIDSON, Sic. Sub.*-JAMES LAWSON, Mr. WALTER BALCANQUALL. Witnesses to the Premises. VII. ROBERT ROLLOCK. [Mr. Rollock was born about the year 1555. After finishing his studies at St. Andrews, he was chosen a professor of philosophy in that university. In this office he continued for four years, discharging its duties with much applause, when, about the year 1585, he was invited to a chair in the university of Edinburgh. In that institution he afterwards became principal, a station which he occupied till his death, in 1598. He was signally distinguished not only by the conscientious diligence with which he performed his public duties, but also by the peculiarly mild and Christian spirit, which adorned his private character, and which, as the following details evince, became especially prominent in his last sickness.] Perceiving that his end was approaching, he, with his wonted prudence, settled his domestic concerns, and solemnly commended his wife, at that time pregnant of her first and only child, to the care of his friends. Two of these friends, (Patrick Galloway and David Lindsay) who had always stood high in his regard, having come to him, he called them to witness that he professed himself to be a dying man, and as such, he implored them to go in his name to the king, and to exhort him to prosecute the path of religion in the same inoffensive course he had hitherto followed; proceed in it with an unfaltering step till the last hour of life, and not allow himself to be drawn from it, either by the hope of enlarging his authority, or by the *MS. Life of Lawson. It must be confessed, that in this and other instances, the language employed in reference to the king is somewhat too flattering and obsequious. It may be observed, however, in palliation, that the commendation here bestowed, was evidently meant to refer to the immediately preceding, and consequently least objectionable years of James's reign; and that at ali events, such language, however objectionable it may appear, could have proceeded from no wish on the part of Rollok to compromise his principles, but only from that singularly benevolent temper and innate love of peace, by which he was so prominently characterized through life. |