Ordred that the Comittee for anssuering the Churches Remonstrance confer with the Comissione of the Generall Assembley, anent his Maiesties othe of coronatione, as also of that of the people.
1650.
Excerpts from “A Diary of Public Transactions and other Occurrences, chiefly in Scotland, from January 1650, to June 1667, by John Nicoll.”
[February.]—It hes bene schawin befoir, in the last yeiris relatioun of the commoun effaires and observatiouns of that yeir[434] how that James Grahame, sumtyme Erle of Montrois, did give out a lairge prented Declaratioun and paper, quhairwith he chargeth his awin natioun with hatching a rebellioun in this Kingdome, with promoting the lyke in England, and with the sale and murthour of thair awin native King, and robbing his sone of all rycht, and other horride crymes. To the quhilk Declaratioun thair wes are learned exquisite Ansuer maid by the Committee of the Estaites of the Parliament of Scotland, and by the Commissioneris of the Generall Assemblie, in vindicatioun of thair proceidinges from the aspersioun of that scandalous pamphlet; quhilk answer, gevin out by the Kirk and Stait, wes solemplie proclamit and publeist at the Mercat Croce of Edinburgh, by ane Maisser and sound of many trumpettis. At the publisching quhairof ane scaffold was erectit, with ane fyre thairon, set up in a chimnay, quhairat the commoun hangman of Edinburgh and toun officeris did stand in thair ordiner apperrell usit at such a bussines; and thair, efter reiding of this ansuer of the Kirk and Stait fullie and at lenth, and eftir sounding of four trumpettis on the Croce, the hangman threw that the said James Grahame his Declaratioun in the midst of the fyre, set thair on a scaffold upone the eist syde of the Croce, as worthy of no les, being publisched by that excommunicat traitour James Grahame, under the tytell of A Declaratioun of James Marques of Montros, &c. This done 9 Feb., 1650. This answer may be read at lenth in prent, gevin out both by the Committee of Estait and Commissioneris of the Generall Assemblie.
The Commissioneris of the Generall Assembly sat heir, in Edinburgh, at this tyme, quhairat Mr Johnne Sterling, minister at Bara, wes chosin minister at Edinburgh, upone the 15th of Februar, anno foirsaid. At that tyme also, Mr Thomas Garven was chosin minister at Edinburgh.
16 Feb. Mr David Dik, by the Commissioneris of the Generall Assemblie wes chosin professor of divinitie in the college of Edinburgh, ane learned man, and a great licht in the Church of Scotland.
17 Feb. Ane act of the Commissioun of the Generall Assemblie wes red in all the churches of Edinburgh, dischargeing promiscuous dansing.
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Much faiset and scheitting at this tyme wes daylie detectit by the Lordis of Sessioun; for quhilk thair wes daylie hanging, skurging, nailling of luggis, and binding of pepill to the Trone, and booring of tounges; so that it was ane fatall yeir for fals notaris and witnessis, as daylie experience did witnes. And as for adulterie, fornicatioun, incest, bigamie, and uther uncleanes and filthynes, it did nevir abound moir nor at this tyme....
At this tyme, also, my Lord Lyntoun wes excommunicat and wardit [put in prison] for taking in mariage the Lord Seytounes relict, dochter to the lait Marques of Huntlie, scho being excommunicat for poprie.