I should be sorie that this should be a scandall to aney good Christian. It happins to the righteous according to the wayes of the wicked, and to the wicked according to the wayes of the righteous. They that know me should not condeme me for this; maney grater then I haue beine delt with in this kynd; zet I must say that all Gods judgements are just, for my priuat sines. I acknouledge this to be just with God, and I submitt myselue to him; zet in regaird of man, I may say I am just. I blame no man, I complaine one no man for this judgement; I take it from the hand of God; they are bot instruments, I forgiue them; God forgiue them. But to exonerat myselue, that I giue no scandell to the people of God, all that I did was the just commands of my King in his distresse; I know nothing bot to feare God and honer the King, according to the law of nature and nations. I haue not sinned against men, bot against the Lord; and with him ther is mercey; and this is my ground of drawing neir him. I pray God this be not for farder judgement one this land; bot I will not enter on Gods secretts. That wich cheifflie can be said against me is amongest the Lordes people; that I am wnder the censure of the churche, it is not my fault, seing I bot obayed my lawfull prince. Zet I am sorie that they excommunicatted me, and in that wich is according to Gods law, I desyre to be relaxit; and if they will not, according to my conscience, I appeale to God, quho is a righteous judge, that must be my judge. There is one thing much spokin aganist, that I lay all the blame one the King; God forbid! As for the lait King, he liued a saint, and deyed a martyre; I pray God I may end so: and if euer I wold wishe my soule in ane other mans soules steed, it is in his. And for this King, according to his zeires and capacity, wich is guid, no people might be happier then wnder him. All his commands to me wer most just; in nothing that he promisses will he faile; he dealles justlie with all. Thesse testimonies haue I giuen to the last King, and to this King; and I am faithfull to the lait Kings memorie, and to this Kings persone; and all trew people that feare God are of my oppinione. It is not obdurdnes of heart that is in me, bot the light of my soule and conscience, and Gods spirit in me. I thank God I goe not to Heavens throne ingnorantly, thoughe I haue not much knowledge; I desyre not to be presumptous; God suffers me not to fearre the terors of death. I haue that conscience and reasson in that measure that he giueth it me, therfor I goe with courage to death; and quhateuer be my end, lett God be glorified, though it wer to my damnation. I say not this out of weekness and feare, bot out of my deutie to God, and loue to this people; ffor looking one you, I cannot bot morne; therefor I can say no more, bot remitts myselue to your charity, and I desyre your prayers. You that are scandelized at me, giue me your charity; I shall pray for you all: I leaue my soule to God, my seruice to my prince, my good will to my frindes, and my name in charity to you all. I might say more, bot I have exonered my conscience; the rest I leaue to Gods mercey. Being desyred to pray, he said, I haue alredey poured fourth my soule befor the Lord, quho knowes my harte; in his hands I haue comitted my spirit. If you will not joyne with me in my prayer, then my being in priuat, will be a scandell to me and you bothe.
Wedinsday, 22 Maij. Sessio 1.—The housse appoynts a committee to tray the depositions of 54 Witches, with pouer to the said committee to giue out comissions for ther furder trayell, examinatione, and executione; as also to thinke vpone a constant coursse and commissione for that effecte heirafter, and to report.
Thursday, 23 Maij. Sessio 1.—Tuo supplications and actes to be passed, exhibit to the house by the Commission of the Generall Ass: one anent papists defrauding of ther heires wich are couenanters;—remitted to a comitte to be thought one. The other anent the furder purging of the armey and judicatories, remitted lykwayes.
Saterday, 25 Maij. Sessio 1.—The Marques of Argyle reported to the housse, that himselue had a letter from the Secretarey, the Earle of Lothean, wich shew him that his Maiestie wes no wayes sorey that James Grhame was defait, in respecte (as he said) he hade made that invasione without and contrarey to his command.
Wednesday, 29 Maij. Sessio 1.—Petitione of the tuo honest Orknay ministers, humblie desyring a ratificatione of ane acte of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembley, modifinng to them 10 thousand merkes Scotts for ther losses, out of the stipends of the deposed ministers of Orknay, quho had landed with James Grhame; desyring letters of horning to charge for the same; granted by the parliament.
This day at 2 a clocke in the afternoone, conforme to the sentence of parliament, Sʳ Johne Horrie and Cap: Jo: Spotswoode wer executte at the crosse of Edinburghe. Sʳ Jo: Horrie wes penitent, and confessid that his grate and manyfold sinns aganist God, had brought him to that so publicke ane end. Bot Johne Spotswood deyed in a furey and rage, almost distracted of his witts, and wold confesse nothing.
Fryday, 31 Maij, Sessio 1.—Report anent Sʳ William Hay of Dalgatey, Barronett, quho was forfaulted by the parliament in St Andrewes, in Aᵒ 1645, and excomunicat thereafter for poperey, ratiffied; and he being this day called befor the parliament, and asked by the president giue he had aney thing to say for himselue befor the sentence and doume wes pronunced aganist him, said nothing, bot that he was to goe to Germaney, and went to the King to haue his passe; and by him wes commandit to attend James Grhame to this countrey. He was comandit to kneele one his knees, wich he did; then did the Register reid to him the parl: sentence, wich was to haue his head struckin from his bodey one Tuesday nixt, the 4 day of Junij, at the crosse of Edinbrughe, at 2 a clocke in the afternoone; and the magistrats of Edinbrughe commandit to see this sentence put to executione.
Saterday, 1 Junij. Sessio 1.—The housse ordaines the Ministers of Edinburghe to end ther sermons befor 9, and then the grate bell to ring daylie at 9 for the conweining of the parliament.
Thursday, 21 Junij. Sessio 1.—A letter to William Leuthall, Speaker of the Parliament of England, from the housse, read. Ane vther letter to the Generall of the armey, Fairfax, read. With ane to the Gouernour of Neucastle, Sʳ Arthur Hasilrige, read. Thir 3 letters being read in parliament, the housse ordaines them to be communicat to the Commissione of the Kirke.
Fryday, 22 Junij. Sessio 1.—Alexander Charteres, the Laird of Emsfeilds brother, execut this day at the crosse of Edinbrughe; quho receuid sentence of death one his knees, in the parliament housse, one Wedinsday the 13 of Junij.