send up copious accounts of all that he had done. 1662. The king ordered him to come up, and to give him an account of the affairs in Scotland. But he represented the absolute necessity of seeing some of the laws lately made put in execution: for it was hoped, the king's displeasure would be allayed, and go off, if some time could be but gained. byterian silenced. One act passed in the last parliament that re- The presstored the rights of patronage, the taking away of ministers which even presbytery could not carry till the year 1649, in which they had the parliament entirely 153 in their hands. Then the election of ministers was put in the church session and the lay elders : so that, from that time, all that had been admitted to churches came in without presentations. One clause in the act declared all these incumbents to be unlawful possessors: only it indemnified them for what was past, and required them before Michaelmas to take presentations from the patrons, who were obliged to give them, being demanded, and to get themselves to be instituted by the bishops; otherwise their churches were declared vacant on Michaelmas day. This took in all the young and hot men: so the presbyterians had many meetings about it, in which they all resolved not to obey the act. They reckoned, the taking institution from a bishop was such an owning of his authority, that it was a renouncing of all their former principles: whereas some few, that had a mind to hold their benefices, thought that was only a secular law for a legal right to their tithes and benefices, and had no relation to their spiritual concerns; and therefore they thought they might submit to it, especially where bishops were so moderate as to impose no subscrip 1662. tion upon them, as the greater part were. But the resolution taken by the main body of the presbyterians was, to pay no obedience to any of the acts made in this session, and to look on, and see what the state would do. The earl of Midletoun was naturally fierce, and that was heightened by the ill state of his affairs at court: so he resolved on a punctual execution of the law. He and all about him were at this time so constantly disordered by high entertainments and other excesses, that, even in the short intervals between their drunken bouts, they were not cool nor calm enough to consider what they were doing. He had also so mean an opinion of the party, that he believed they would comply with any thing, rather than lose their benefices. And therefore he declared, he would execute the law in its utmost rigour. On the other hand, the heads of the presbyterians reckoned, that if great numbers were turned out all at once, it would not be possible to fill their places on the sudden; and that the government would be forced to take them in again, if there were such a vacancy made, that a great part of the nation were cast destitute, and had no divine service in it. For that which all the wiser of the party apprehended most was, that the bishops would go on slowly, and single out some that were more factious upon particular provocations, and turn them out by degrees, as they had men ready to put in their room; which would have been more insensible, (defensible,) and more excusable, if indiscreet zealots had, as it were, forced censures from them. The advice sent over all the country, from 154 their leaders, who had settled measures at Eden burgh, was, that they should do and say nothing that might give a particular distaste, but should 1662. look on, and do their duty as long as they were connived at; and that if any proclamation should be issued out, commanding them to be silent, they should all obey at once. In these measures both sides were deceived in their expectations. The bishops went to their several dioceses: and according as the people stood affected, they were well or ill received: and they held their synods every where in October. In the northern parts very few stood out: but in the western parts scarce any came to them. The earl of Midletoun went to Glasgow before Michaelmas. So when the time fixed by the act was past, and that scarce any one in all those counties had paid any regard to it, he called a meeting of the privy council, that they might consider what was fit to be done. Duke Hamilton told me, they were all so drunk that day, that they were not capable of considering any thing that was laid before them, and would hear of nothing but the executing the law without any relenting or delay. So a proclamation was issued out, requiring all who had their livings without presentations, and who had not obeyed the late act, to give over all farther preaching, or serving the cure, and to withdraw from their parishes immediately: and the military men that lay in the country were ordered to pull them out of their pulpits, if they should presume to go on in their functions. This was opposed only by duke Hamilton, and sir James Lockhart, father to sir William Lockhart. They represented, that the much greater part of the preachers in these counties had come into their churches since the year 1649; that they were very popular men, both esteemed 1662. and beloved of their people: it would be a great scandal, if they should be turned out, and none be ready to be put in their places: and it would not be possible to find a competent number of well qualified men, to fill the many vacancies that this proclamation would make. The earl of Midletoun would hear of nothing, but the immediate execution of the law. So the proclamation was issued out: and upon it above two hundred churches were shut up in one day and above one hundred and fifty more were to be turned out for not obeying, and submitting to the bishops summons to their synods. All this was done without considering the consequence of it, or communicating it to the other bishops. Sharp said to my self, that he knew nothing of it; nor did he imagine, that so rash a thing could have been done, till he saw it in print. He was glad that this was done without his having any share in it: for by it he was furnished with somewhat, in which he was 155 no way concerned, upon which he might cast all the blame of all that followed. Yet this was suitable k Dunce, can there be a better maxim? S. accustomed to it, was much magnified at court. It 1662. was said, that all plied before him: they knew he was steady so they saw how necessary it was not to change the management, if it was really intended to preserve the church. Lord Tarbot told me, that the king had expressed to himself the esteem he had for Sheldon, upon the account of the courage that he shewed in the debate concerning the execution of the act of uniformity at the day prefixed, which was St. Bartholomew's: for some suggested the danger that might arise, if the act were vigorously executed. From thence, it seems, the earl of Midletoun concluded, the zeal he shewed now would be so acceptable, that all former errors would be forgiven, if he went through with it; as indeed he stuck at nothing. Yet the clamour of putting several counties, as it were, under an interdict, was very great. So all endeavours were used to get as many as could be had to fill those vacancies. And among others, I was much pressed, both by the earl of Glencairn and the lord Tarbot, to go into any of the vacant churches that I liked. I was then but nineteen': yet there is no law in Scotland limiting the age of a priest. And it was upon this account that I was let so far into the secret of all affairs: 1 It is a little surprising that a youth of nineteen should have been let into the secret of all affairs. No doubt the great moderation, and zeal for episcopacy, which he mentions with a singular degree of modesty, which appeared early in him, and continued to his dying day, must have been the inducements: besides a notable faculty he had in keeping a se- |