CHAPTER IV.

1666: JAMES URQUHART EXCOMMUNICATED BY THE PRESBYTERY: A REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCE BEFALLS THE PERSON WHO PUBLISHES THIS ACT-1667 : VIOLENCE OF "SIR JOHN KEITH" AGAINST THE FRIENDS-1668:-ILLNESS OF ALEXANDER JAFFRAY-HE IS IMPRISONED AT BANFF-HIS ADDRESS TO THE BISHOP OF ABERDEEN-1669:-LILIAS SKENE'S CONVINCEMENT-HER HUSBAND, FROM AN OPPOSER, BECOMES A FRIEND-1671: THE PUBLIC PREACHERS OF ABERDEEN ENDEAVOUR TO EXCITE THE CIVIL POWER AGAINST THIS PEOPLE-A SYNOD OF THE CLERGY ADDRESS THE KING'S COUNCIL AGAINST THEM-1672: THE KING'S DECLARATION OF INDULGENCE-FRIENDS RELIEVED BY THE JUDGES ON THE SUBJECT OF OATHS-THE SUDDEN AND DISMAL END OF SOME PERSECUTORS.

It happened about the year 1666, that James Urquhart, whose name has been before mentioned, for his conscientious separation from the national church of the day, fell under the censure of the Presbytery, and was excommunicated. The excommunication was sent to one William Forbes, a minister of the place where Urquhart lived, with an injunction of the Presbytery for him to publish it from the pulpit. The minister, conscious in himself of the honesty and integrity of the person, against whom he was enjoined to read the sentence, fell under strong convictions, and great reluctancy of mind against the performance of what he was commanded. But, when he considered, that the consequence of his disobeying the Presbytery would, in all probability, issue in the loss of his stipend, covetousness overcame his convictions; and he publicly pronounced the sentence against James Urquhart, in direct opposition to the dictates of his own conscience. This, afterward, gave him much uneasiness, and his mind became so discomposed, that he could not, for some time, proceed in perform

ing the usual offices of his function; until, at length, he publicly and ingenuously came to confess, that his discomposure was a just judgment of God upon him, for cursing with his tongue a person, whom he believed in his own conscience to be a very honest man. But, notwithstanding his convictions were so clear and overpowering, he again fell into the like error, and in a way more nearly affecting him. His own daughter, Jane Forbes, was convinced of the Truth, and joined the people called Quakers. Church proceedings were carried on against her to an excommunication, which her father was required by the Presbytery to pronounce. The poor man's case, under so difficult a dilemma, was really to be pitied. Hard was his choice, either to lose his living by disobeying the Presbytery, or wound his conscience by pronouncing excommunication against his own daughter, whom he knew to be a virtuous and religious woman. But alas! both his conscience and natural affection gave place to the love of money; so that he was determined to read the excommunication, and had uttered some kind of prayers previous thereto, when he was suddenly struck by death, at the very time he had purposed to deliver that sentence. A melancholy and remarkable exit, wherein nature was observed to sink under the weight and oppression of a conflict between conscience and self-interest.

Sir John Keith, who in those days, and afterward, was very violent against Friends, having, in the year 1667, brought away, under a guard, several of this people from Inverury, where they had been previously imprisoned; the magistrates of Aberdeen, to whom they were delivered, after keeping them in confinement some time, caused them to be conducted through the streets, with great contempt and re

proach, to the Bow-bridge, where a guard was provided to conduct them southward to Edinburgh, from shire to shire, as the worst of malefactors. When they had proceeded a little way out of the town, one of the prisoners, William Gellie, a man of very weakly and infirm habit, sat down; and the rest of the Friends followed his example, refusing to go further, unless horses were provided. At this, one of the bailies or magistrates, named Alexander, who attended, in order to see them set out, was much enraged, commanding William Gellie to rise and go forward on foot; and because of his refusal he struck him piteously. Friends, however, continued to sit still; upon which, the magistrate with all his train, not being able to prevail in their purpose, returned to Aberdeen, and the Friends to their respective dwelling places. But, what was remarkable, the first object that was presented to this persecutor on reaching his own house, was his son, who had by a fall broken his arm, and in the very same time that the father had been using his arm to strike the harmless servant of the Lord; which circumstances, thus coinciding, so awakened the conscience of this person, that he said, (and afterward told it to some Friends,) he should never strike a Quaker again.

We return to our worthy, and now, infirm Diarist, Alexander Jaffray, who at this period laboured under much affliction with a quinsy; for some time he could not speak, nor scarcely eat or drink, insomuch as to be given over for death by all that beheld him. Yet, while in that state, he signified by writing, the steadfastness of his faith in God; and also his belief, that he should yet be preserved for further service to the Lord and his Truth; which prediction the sequel fully verified. It is said, that, at that juncture, a cer

tain female, a noted professor, was much impressed, observing the calmness, resignation, and faith evinced by this devoted Christian, in an hour which was judged to be his last, and his unshaken firmness in the testimony which he had received to bear; hereupon, she went to one of the ministers of the city, and asked, whether they durst deny that Jaffray had once been a truly gracious man. They said, they would not deny it. Then," said she, either Quakerism must be a right way, or else your doctrine false, who say, there is no total nor final fall from true grace; for he is dying, confirming that way."

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Shortly after, on the 11th of the 9th month, 1668, he was taken from his own house at Kingswells, in a sickly, debilitated condition, and carried by three messengers to Banff prison, at the instigation of the Bishop of Aberdeen, under the pretence of a fine of six hundred merks, formerly imposed upon him by the High Commission Court, for suffering religious meetings at his house, contrary to their order. Thus, the Bishop and those termed clergy discovered the malignity of their disposition, in imprisoning this faithful man thirty miles distant from his habitation; which, to him in a delicate and enfeebled state, proved no less than three days' journey. He was there detained prisoner nine months and sixteen days, to his great expense and detriment, some of his family being mostly with him, as well as to the endangering of his life; for he might have died there, had not the civil power relieved him from ecclesiastical tyranny; the King's Privy Council giving order for his release, without his paying any thing whatever for the fine, or for fees or charges, neither of which he could conscientiously have defrayed.

It was during this his meek endurance, and par

ticipation of the sufferings of Christ, that Alexander Jaffray addressed an epistle to the Bishop, who had thus been a willing instrument in occasioning his unrighteous bondage. It is here given, though somewhat condensed in parts.

"To Patrick Scougal.

"Not in my own will, am I thus drawn forth, but in the will and authority of the living God, to warn thee to beware of persecution,-to beware of oppression!

"It was reported of thee, at one time, that thou wouldst not be, as others, in the use of these 'the instruments of a foolish shepherd.' Zech. xi. 15, 16. But, if any simplicity of that kind have been truly found with thee, how is it, that thou hast so sinfully betrayed it, by countenancing and approving the actions of those, who, while absolute in power, drove so furiously, as to make themselves, and the highest censures of their church, slighted and scorned!

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"Will not every judicious and seriously sober person, find more cause now than ever, thus to judge of them and their proceedings, and still more so of thy concurrence with them; while the weight of your dignation is so mainly turned against that sober, harmless people, the witnesses of Jesus Christ, in scorn called Quakers? they, above all others, being most falsely charged with owning blasphemous and heretical tenets, and such abominable practices as their soul abhors; who have by no means been wanting in vindication of themselves, both by word and writing, from such charges.

"But, so greatly hath iniquity prevailed, that men are not ashamed thus to detain the Truth of God in unrighteousness; not only obscuring and hiding that