After Bothwel, he was denounced a rebel, and a large reward offered to such as could apprehend him. At which time the enemy seized all that he had, stripped his wife and four children of all, turning them out of doors, whereby he was reduced as one of those mentioned Hebrews xi. 38. They wandered about in desarts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, &c. Thus he lived for near the space of five years, suffering all manner of hardships, not accepting deliverance, that he might preserve to himself the free enjoyment of the gospel, faithfully preached in the fields. And being a man of a public spirit, a great observer of fellowship meetings (alas, a duty now too much neglected!) and very staunch upon points of testimony, and become very popular among the more faithful part of our sufferers, and was by them often employed as one of their commissioners to their general meetings, which they had erected some years before this, that they might the better understand the mind of one another in carrying on a testimony in that broken state.
One thing very remarkable was—The Sabbath night (being that day eight days before he was taken) as he and four more were travelling, it being very dark, no wind, but a thick small rain: no moon, for that was not her season; behold, suddenly the clouds clave asunder, toward east and west, over their heads, and a light sprang out beyond that of the sun, which lasted above the space of two minutes. They heard a noise, and were much amazed, saying one to another, What may that mean? but he spoke none, only uttering three deep groans, one of them asked him, What it might mean? He said, "We know not well at present, but within a little we shall know better: yet we have a more sure word of prophecy, unto which we would do well to take heed:" And then he groaned again, saying, "As for me, I am ready to live or to die for him, as he in his providence shall call me to it, and bear me through in it; and although I have suffered much from prelates and false friends these 21 years, yet now I would not for a thousand worlds I had done otherwise; and if the Lord spare me, I will be more zealous for his precious truths, and if not, I am ready to seal his cause with my blood; for I have longed for it these 16 years, and it may be I will ere long get it to do. Welcome be his will, and if he will help me through with it, I shall praise him to all eternity." Which made them all wonder, he being a very reserved man; for although he was a strict observer of the Sabbath, a great examiner of the scripture, and a great wrestler in prayer, yet he was so reserved as to his own case and soul's concernment, that few knew how it was with him as to that, until he came to prison.
All this and more could not escape the knowledge of the managers, as is evident from Earlston's answers before the council 1683, and we find that one of the articles that John Richmond suffered for, at the cross of Glasgow, March 19th 1684, was his being in company with John Nisbet. This made the search after him and other sufferers more desperate. Whereupon in the month of November 1683, having retired amongst other of his lurking places, unto a certain house called Midland, in the parish of Fenwick, where were assembled for prayer and other religious exercises (on a Saturday's night) other three of his faithful brethren, viz. Peter Gemmel, a younger brother of the house of Horse-hill in the same parish, George Woodburn, a brother of the Woodburns in the Muirs of Loudon, and one John Fergushill from Tarbolton. Upon notice that lieutenant Nisbet, and a party of col. Buchan's dragoons were out in quest of the wanderers (as they were sometimes called) they resolved on the Sabbath morning to depart. But old John Fergushill, not being able to go by reason of some infirmities, they were obliged to return back with him, after they had gone a little way from the house; and were, the same day, apprehended. The way and manner of which, with his answers both at Ayr, and before the council at Edinburgh, as they stand in an old manuscript given under his own hand, while he was their prisoner, is as follows:
"First when the enemy came within sight of the house, we seeing no way of escape, John Fergushill went to the far end of the house, and the other two and I followed. And ere we were well at the far end of the house, some of the enemy were in the house. And then in a little after they came and put in their horses, and went to and fro in the house for more than an hour, and we four still at the far end of the house; And we resolved with one another to keep close till they should come just on us; and if it should have pleased the Lord to have hid us there, we resolved not to have owned them; but if they found us out, we thought to fight, saying one to another, It was death at length. They got all out of the house, and had their horses drawn forth. But in a little time came back[216], tittling one to another, and at last cried for a candle to search the house with; and came within a yard of us with a light burning in their hand. According to our former resolution, we did resist them, having only three shot; and one of them misgiving, and they fired above twenty-four shot at us, and when we had nothing else, we clubbed our guns, till two of them were quite broke, and then went in grips with some of them; and when they saw they could not prevail, they cried, All to go out and fire the house. Upon which we went out after them, and I received six wounds in the going out. After which, they getting notice what I was, some of themselves cried out to spare my life, for the council had offered 3000 merks for me. So they brought me towards the end of the yard, and tied my hands behind my back, (having shot the other three to death). He that commanded them, scoffingly asked me, What I thought of my self now? I smiled and said, I had full contentment with my lot, but thought that I was at a loss that I was yet in time and my brethren in eternity. At which he swore he had reserved my life for a farther judgment to me. When we were going towards Kilmarnock; he (the lieutenant, who was a cousin of his own) called for me, and he and I went before the rest, and discoursed soberly about several things. I was free in telling him what I held to be sin, and what I held to be duty; and when we came to Kilmarnock tolbooth, he caused slack my arms a-little, and inquired if I desired my wounds dressed: and at the desire of some friends in the town, he caused bring in straw and some cloaths for my brother John Gemmel[217] and me to lie upon, but would not suffer us to cast off our cloaths. On Monday, on the way to Ayr, he raged against me, and said that I had the blood of the three men on my head that were killed yesterday; and that I was guilty of all, and the cause of all the troubles that were come on the poor barony of Cunningham first and last. But when we came near the town, he called me out from the rest, and soberly asked me, What he should say to the superior officers in my behalf? I told him, That if the Lord would keep me from wronging truth, I was at a point already in what he put me to, as to suffering. When we first entered the tolbooth of Ayr, there came two and asked some things at me, but they were to little purpose. Then I was taken out with a guard and brought before Buchan. He asked me, 1st, If I was at that conventicle? I told him, I looked upon it as my duty. 2dly, How many armed were there? I told him, I went to hear the gospel preached, and not to take up the account of what men were there. 3dly, Where away went they, &c.? I told him it was more than I could tell. 4thly, Do you own the king? I told him, while he owned the way and work of God, I thought myself bound both to own and fight for him, but when he quitted the way of God, I thought I was obliged to quit him. 5thly, Will ye own the duke of York as king? I told him, I would not; for it was both against my principles and the laws of the nation. 6thly, Was you clear to join with Argyle? I said, No. He held me long, and spoke of many things. We had the musters through hands, popery, prelacy, presbyterianism, malignants, defensive and offensive arms, there being none in the room but him and I. I thought it remarkable, that all the time from sabbath and to this present, I had and have as much peace and quietness of my mind, as ever in my life. O help me to praise him! for he alone did it. Now, my dear friends and acquaintance, cease not to pray for me while I am in the body, for I may say I fear nothing, but that, thro' weakness, I wrong truth. And my last advice is, that ye be more diligent in following Christian duties. Alas! that I was not more sincere, zealous and forward for his work and cause in my day.—Cease to be jealous one of another, and only let self-examination be more studied, and this, through his blessing, shall open a door to more of a Christian soul-exercise; and more of a soul-exercise, through his blessing, would keep away vain jangling, that does no way profit, but gives way to Satan and his temptations, &c.
"When I came to Edinburgh, I was the first night kept in the guard. The next night I was brought into their council-house, where were present Drummond (viz. Perth) Linlithgow and one Paterson, together with some others. They first said to me, that they looked upon me as one acquainted with all that was done amongst these rebellious persons, therefore the lords of his majesty's privy council would take it as a great favour that I would be free in telling them what I knew, that might most conduce to the peace and security of the nation. I told them, That when I came to particulars, I should speak nothing but truth, for I was more afraid to lie than to die, but I hoped they would be so much christians as not to bid me tell any thing that would burden my conscience. Then they began thus: (1.) What did ye in your meetings? I told them, We only sung a part of a psalm, read a part of the scripture, and prayed time about. (2.) Why call ye them fellowship and society-meetings? A. I wonder why you ask such questions, for these meetings were called so when our church was in her power. (3.) Were there any such meetings at that time? A. There were in some places of the land. (4.) Did the ministers of the place meet with them in these? A. Sometimes they did, and sometimes they did not. (5.) What mean you by your general meeting, and what do you do at them? While I was thinking what to answer, one of themselves told them more distinctly than I could have done, and jeeringly said, looking to me, When they have done, then they distribute their collections. I held my peace all the time. (6.) Where keep ye these meetings? A. In the wildest muirs we can think off. (7.) Will ye own the king's authority? A. No. (8.) What is your reason? you own the scriptures and your own confession of faith? A. That I do with all my heart. (9.) Why do ye not own the king's authority (naming several passages of scripture, and that in the 23d chapter of the confession)? A. There is a vast difference, for he being a Roman catholic, and I being not only brought up in the presbyterian principles from my youth, but also sworn against popery. (10.) What is that to you though he be popish, he is not bidding you be a papist, nor hindring you to live in your own religion? A. The contrary does appear, for we have not liberty to hear a gospel-preaching, but we are taken, killed and put to the hardest of sufferings. They said, It was not so, for we might have the gospel, if our wild principles would suffer us to hear it. I said, They might say so, but the contrary was well known through the land, for ye banished away our faithful ministers, and thrust in such as live rather like profligates than like ministers; so that poor things neither can nor dare join with them. (11.) Are ye clear to join with Argyle? A. No. Then one of them said, Ye will have no king but Mr. James Renwick; and asked, If I conversed with any other minister upon the field than Mr. Renwick? I told them, I conversed with no other:——And a number of other things that were to little purpose.
"Sirs, this is a true hint of any material thing that passed betwixt them and me. As for their drinking of healths, never one of them spoke of it to me, neither did ever any of them bid me pray for their king; but they said, That they knew I was that much of a christian, that I would pray for all men. I told them, I was bound to pray for all; but prayer being instituted by a holy God, who was the hearer of prayer, no christian could pray when every profligate did bid them, and it was no advantage to their cause to suffer such a thing.
"How it may be afterwards with me, I cannot positively say, for he is a free Sovereign, and may come and go as he pleaseth. But this I say and can affirm, that he has not quarreled with me since I was prisoner; but has always waited on to supply me with all consolation and strength, as my necessity required; and now when I cannot lay down my own head nor lift it without help, yet of all the cases that ever I was, I had never more contentment. I can now give the cross of Christ a noble commendation. It was always sweet and pleasant, but never so sweet and pleasant as now. Under all my wanderings, and all my toilings, a prison was still so terrifying to me, that I could never have been so sure as I would have been. But immediately at my taking, he so shined on me, and ever since that, he and his cross are to me far beyond whatever he was before. Therefore let none scare or stand at a distance from their duty for fear of the cross, for now I can say from experience, that it is as easy, yea, and more sweet, to ly in prison in irons, than it is to be at liberty. But I must forbear at present."
Upon the 26th, he was ordered by the council to be prosecuted before the justiciary. Accordingly on the 30th he was before the justiciary, and arraigned, his own confession being the only proof against him, which runs thus, "John Nisbet of Hardhill, prisoner, confesses, when examined before the council, That he was at Drumclog, had arms, and made use of them against the king's forces; and that he was at Glasgow; and that he was at a field meeting within these two months, betwixt Eglesham and Kilbride; &c." The which being read, he adhered to, but refused to subscribe it. The assize brought him in guilty, and the lords sentenced him to be hanged at the grass-market, Dec. 4th, betwixt two and four in the afternoon, and his lands, goods and gear to be forfeited to the king's use.
It was inserted by the council in his confession, That the reason why he could not join with Argyle was, that one Cleland told him, that Argyle and his party were against all kingly government. Mr. Wodrow thinks this false, and that it was only foisted in by the clerk of the council, it not being the first time that things of this nature had been done by them. But he behoves to have been in a mistake here, for in one of Hardhill's papers, in manuscript, left behind him in way of testimony, he gives this as the first reason for his not joining with Argyle, and the second was to the same purpose with what Mr. Wodrow has observed, viz. because the societies could not espouse his declaration, as the state of the quarrel was not concerted according to the ancient plea of the Scottish covenanters, and because it opened a door to a sinful confederacy.
His sentence was accordingly executed, and he appeared upon the scaffold with a great deal of courage and christian composure, and died in much assurance, and with a joy which none of his persecutors could intermeddle with. It was affirmed by some, who were present at his execution, that the scaffold or gibbet gave way and came down, which made some present flatter themselves, that by some laws in being, he had won his life (as they used to say in such cases). But behold a disappointment here, for he behoved not to escape so (for to this end he was born). Immediately all was reared up, and the martyr executed.