PAGE 156
above two hours, and some none at all, but stood most part in the
gallery astarn of the great cabin, where Mr Blair and I and our
families lay. For in the morning, by that time that every one
had been some time alone, and then at prayer in their severall
societies, and then at publick prayer in the ship, it was time to
goe to dinner, and after that visit our friends in the gunnarroom,
or those betwixt the decks, or any that were sick, and then
publick prayer would come, and after that supper and family
exercises. Mr Blair was much of the time weakly, and lay in
tyms of storm. I was sometimes sick, and then my brother
M'Clelland only performed duty in the ship. Severall of these,
between decks being throng, were sickly. One aged person and
one child died, and were buried in the sea. One woman, the wife
of Michael Coltheard of Killinshie paroche, brought forth an
child in the ship. I baptized him on the Sabbath following, and
called him Seaborn.
My wife went aboard with her son sucking her breast, being
about fourteen weeks old, yet she had milk abundance for him, and
to help some others. Mr Blair was much afflicted with our returning,
and fell in a sound1
that day that we turned back; and
although we could not
imagine2
what to make of such ane dispensation, yet we were confident that
the Lord would let us see something that would abundantly
satisfie us, which began to appear the
year following in opposition made to the Service Book, and more
fully in 1638 in renewing the Covenant. Our outward means was
much impaired by this dispensation, for we had put most of our
stocks in provisions, and somewhat of merchandize, wliich we behooved
to sell at low rates at our return, and had provided ourselves
with some servants for fishing and building of houses, whom
we behooved to turn off. That which grieved us most was, that
we were like to be ane mockrie to the wicked; but we found the
contrair, that the prelates and their adherents were much dismayed
and feared at our return. But neither they nor we knew that
**************
1
"Swoon."
2
"Tell."
|
PAGE 157
within an year the Lord would root out the prelats out of Scotland,
and after that out of England and Ireland. Mr Blair went
and dwelt at the Stron of Belfast, others elsewhere. I came back
and dwelt at my mother's house, and preached each Sabbath that
winter as at other times before.
In February 1637, one Frankhill of Castlereach, who yet used
to come some Sabbaths to hear sermon in my mother's house, being
in Dublin, informed the State against Mr Blair and me. Order is
given for our apprehension. One night one Andrew Young, ane
servant of Mr Bar's, who lived hard by our house, overheard ane
pursevant calling to an stabler to prepare two horses against the
morrow morning for him, and ane other, because they had orders
to goe to the North, and bring up two Scotts deposed ministers.
This Andrew goes immediatly to another stable, prepares a horse,
and rode all that night, and in two dayes after brings us word, so
as Mr Blair and I went out of the way, and came over to Scotland.
When he came to Irvine to Mr David Dickson, he told me that
some good gentlemen of that countrey had been with him, having
heard that we were come to Scotland, and desyred him not to
imploy us to preach for fear that at such ane time the Bishops, being
then upon the urgeing of the Service Book, might take occasion
thereby to put him out of his ministrie. But, said he, I dare not
follow their opinion so far to discountenance you in your sufferings
as not to employ you as in former times, but would rather
thlnk1
so doing would provock the Lord that I might be on ane other
account deposed, and not have so good ane conscience. We were
very unwilling either to occasion his trouble or dissatlsfie any of
the gentlemen of the countrey; but he urged with such grounds
as we could not get refused. After that I went by Dean and
Loudon and Lanerk to Edinburgh, and remained there some space,
being at some
private meetings2
every day; and when I returned
to the communion at Irvine, which was March 26, 1 found that my
wife having come only ane visit from her mother's house to New
**************
1
"That."
2
"Meeting"
|
