PAGE 136
and his religious lady, and severall1
worthy experienced Christians,
as Alexander Gordon of Earlestone, Alexander Gordon of Knockgray, Robert Gordon
of Knockbran,2
John, his brother, and Alexander of Cairleurch,3
John Gordon of Barskiach, the Laird of Cairlton, Fullerton, John M'Adam, and Christian M'Adam of
Waterhead, Marion M'Naught in Kirkcudbright, and severall
others; for I preached at ane communion in Borg, where was
many good people that came out of Kirkcudbright, and was at
privat meetings with some of the forementioned at Carlurg, and at
the Airds, where Earlstoun then dwelt.
In harvest 1626, I was desyred by my Lord Tarphichen to come
to his house at Calder; and being desyred by the aged minister of
Tarphichen to preach there, after two or three weeks the presbytrie
of Linlithgow keeped an visitation of that church, where I got ane
joynt call of the parish and presbytrie, and the old minister, and
my Lord Tarphichen, patron of the church, and master of the
land, to be minister there. The old man4
died within an moneth or two. I preached there ane whole year, and found severall times
the Lord's presence with me in preaching otherwayes then I had
found before. Means was used by the paroch and the5
Lord Tarphichen that I might be admitted and settled minister. The presbytrie,
although some6
of them were but corrupt men, shewed themselves willing thereunto. But Mr John Spotswood,
the pretended Bishop7
of St Andrews, stopped all because of my unconformity; and when the Earle of Lithgow, and Lord Tarphichen,
and some others, dealt with him upon my behalf, for even at that
time some few by moyen were suffered to enter the ministrie without conformity, he pretended that, notwithstanding of my
unconformity, he should not hinder my entrance in some other place,
but that was promised to one Mr George Hanna, who thereafter
was intruded upon that poor people; and the report went that
either that Mr George, or his brother Mr James, had given the
Bishop, or some about him, 500 merks Scots to get that place.
**************
1
"Other."
2
"Knockbrax."
3
Another MS. has Gairleuch.
4
"Minister."
5
"My."
6
"Many."
7
"Archbishop."
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PAGE 137
This opposition, and fear of disappointment, made the people more
desireous to hear the Avord, and their desire to hear made, I thought,
that the Lord furnished the more to be preached to them, especially
toward the end; for about October 1627, the presbytrie of Lithgow wrote to me to desist
to preach1
any more at Tarphichen;
and I found the two or three last Sabbaths that I preached there
the sweetest Sabbaths, although sorrowfull, that I had seen in that place.
When I was forced thus to leave Tarphichen, and was resolving
to return to my father's at Lanerk, and had only gone to take
leave of my uncle, William Livingstone, in Falkirk, being anxious
anent the case of Tarphichen and my own want of employment,
when I had2
sent away before me to Lanerk the boy that waited
upon me and keeped my naig, being minded within half ane hour
to follow, I got letters from the Countess of Wigtoun from Camernald, that was some six miles distant, that I would come thither
to be present with her mother, the
Countess of Lithgow,3
who was a-dying, and had been all her dayes ane Papist, but some while
before had quit it. When I came thither, the Earle of Wigtoun
and she propounded, that seeing their house was six miles from
their paroch church, and severall of their tennents about might
come to hear sermon in their house, and that it was but ten or
twelve myles distant from Tai-phichen, and so some of them also
might come, that I would stay with them, and at least in the
winter time preach in the hall of Comernald to the family and such
as came, untill another4
occasion of employment offered, whereunto5
I condescended. Thus till August 1630, at which time I went to
Ireland, I continued more then two years and an half, most part in
the house of the Earle of Wigtoun, but that sometimes I stayed
somewhile with my father in Lanerk, and most part of these summers I was travelling from place to place, according as I got
**************
1
"From preaching."
2
"And had."
3
She and her husband, as Lord and Lady Livingstone, were conspicuous opponents of the Reformation. She was for some time
governess to the Princess Mary, afterwards Queen of Scots. - (See Row's Hist. p. 206 and 208.)
4
"Other."
5
"To which."
|
