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officers. Yea, when Generall Cromwell wrote for me to come to Edinburgh to come¹ and speak with him, I excused myself. That winter the unhappie bussiness fell out about the publick resolutions. My light carried me to joyn with them that protested against the resolutions and the Assemblies that followed therafter, and I was present at the first meeting of some of the protesters in the West, at Kilmarnock, and therafter at severall other meetings. But indeed I was not satisfied in my minde that the protesters keeped so many meetings, so numerous, and of so long continuance, which I thought made the division wyder and the more conspicuous than otherwayes it would have been, and therfore I stayed from many meetings. Some two or three years after the English had in a manner subdued the land, there began some reviveing of the work of God in the land in severall parts. Sundry were brought in by the ministry of the word, among which there were some also in the paroch of Ancrum and other parts of the South, in Teviotdale and Merss; communions were very lively, and many ran to them.² We had severall monethly meetings in these two shyres.

The ministers in that countrey with whom I keeped most correspondence were in Jedburgh Presbytery, where I lived, Mr James Ker, minister at Abbatrule, Mr John Scot at Oxnom, and his son-in-law, Mr John Scot at Hawick. In other presbytries, Mr James Guthrie at Lauther, who therafter went to Stirling, Mr Thomas Donaldsone at Smelhome, Mr John Veitch at Westruther, Mr James Kirkton at Merton, Mr William Eliot at Yearow, Mr John Somerveill at Ednam, Mr Samuel Row at Spreuston, Mr Edward Jamisone at Swinton, Mr Daniel Douglas at Hiltoun, Mr James Tweedie at Foulden, Mr Thomas Ramsay at Mordington, and Mr Luke Ogle at Berwick. The gentlemen of that countrey with whom I conversed most were, Sir Andrew Ker of Greenhead, Sir William Scott of Harden, Sir Gideon Scott of Heychester, Sir Walter Riddell of that Ilk, and his son; Sir Archibald Douglas of Cavers, and his son; Walter Pringle of Greenknow, George

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¹    "Wrote to me from Edinburgh to come."

²    "Much run unto."

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Prlngle of Towwoodlie, Alexander Pringle of Whytebank. All these, and their ladies also, as also the Ladie Stobs, the Lady Newton, and Mrs Eliot of Craigend, I looked upon as well-affected persons, and have been oft well refreshed at exercises in their houses, and at communions, where some of them had interest, and at communions with severall of the ministers before mentioned, all within the province of Merss and Teviotdale; and without the province, at Edinburgh, Borthwick, Stow, Ormestoun, Whytekirk, and Innerweek. A motion being made in publick at ane communion, anent Christians honouring God with their substance, these gentlemen above named, together with most of the ministers before mentioned, and some few other professors, agreed among themselves, and subscryved to a certain proportion yearly, which came in all to L.50 sterling a year, and was employed only upon distressed Christians, and breeding of hopefull youths in learning.

In the summer 1654, Mr Patrick Gillespie, Mr John Menzies, and I, were called by letters from the Protector to come to London. I went, because he had the present power over the land, and I thought there might be some hope we might procure some good to Scotland; and I went the rather because at the¹ time the mosstroupers were in the night-time seeking for me at my house, and I was like not to be long in safety. But being at London, I found no great satisfaction, and therefore I left the other two there and came home.

After that, the parish of Killinshie, in Ireland, sent ane commissioner once and again, with ane call to me to return to them. If I could have obtained ane fair looseing, my minde inclyned somewhat to have gone, because of the present distractions in Scotland, and because I thought Ireland had more need and more appearance of successe. But many a time, both before and after, I found that things² I inclyned to were disappointed, and fell better out another way. The Synod of Merss and Teviotdale refused to loose me, and some five or six ministers in other parts on whose

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¹    "That."

²    "That."