CHAPTER VI.

1672: THE "CLERGY" AND MAGISTRATES OF ABERDEEN, FURTHER INCENSED AGAINST THIS PEOPLE, PROCURE THE DEMOLITION OF THE WALLS OF THEIR BURIAL-GROUND, AND THE DISINTERMENT OF THEIR DEAD-LETTER OF WILLIAM DEWSBURY-JOHN SWINTOUNE AND ROBERT BARCLAY IMPRISONED AT MONTROSE, TOGETHER WITH SOME FRIENDS AT THAT PLACE, FOR HOLDING A MEETING: THEIR ADDRESS TO THE MAGISTRATES-1673: ANDREW JAFFRAY CONVINCED, AND SEVERAL MORE-THE PROVOST AND MAGISTRATES OF ABERDEEN STRENUOUSLY IMPORTUNE THE KING'S COUNCIL AGAINST THE “QUAKERS"-THEY ARE EXAMINED AND FINED-HUGH NEILSON'S DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE FINES, BY A PROCLAMATION OF THE GOVERNMENT-DEATH OF ALEXANDER JAFFRAY-HIS WIFE'S CONVINCEMENT AND DEATH.

In a preceding page, allusion was made to the defective state of moral and religious feeling, so variously developed in the history of the times now under notice. In connexion with this subject, one sad illustration is here to be introduced, of the length to which men may be carried, when they release themselves from the obligations of Christianity and a civilized

state.

About the beginning of the year 1672, several persons both in Aberdeen and its vicinity, withdrawing from the religion established by law, the public preachers of the city were so incensed as to procure, by their influence with the magistrates, the pulling down and demolishing the walls of a burial-ground, which the people called Quakers had purchased with their own money; and wherein a child of Thomas Milne had been a few days before interred. The body of this child, after three days' interment, was, by order of the provost and bailies, taken out of the ground, and carried to a village called Futtee, or Foot of Dee,

where they had a grave made for it. But a rumour being raised by some malicious persons, as if Friends had, to deceive the magistrates, taken out the child's body, and filled the coffin with somewhat else, they ordered the coffin to be broken open; in doing which, the corpse was injured, and actually was made to bleed though so long dead. In the same year in which this piece of wanton inhumanity was acted, an unusual mortality is stated to have taken place among the children of that place, such as had not occurred in the memory of any person then resident there. The very next day after the raising of the body of this child, it so happened, that John Scott, one of those magistrates who had been the most active instrument in this affair, had his own favourite grandchild unintentionally killed by the servant, which occasioned much outcry of distress in that family. Going on in his usual course of wickedness, among similar acts, often causing the walls of the burial-place and premises to be pulled down, &c. he was, shortly after, suspended in his career by a fall which fractured his leg. They, nevertheless, continued to remove every corpse that was interred in the same ground; nor did the barbarous practice cease, till a representation being made to the King's Council, a secret check was given them, and this more than ordinary inhumanity put a stop to. SEE APPENDIX, Q.

In the latter part of this year, Alexander Skene produced at the Monthly Meeting a letter, addressed to Friends in Scotland, from William Dewsbury; the minister by whose instrumentality, it will be recollected, Alexander Jaffray and others at Aberdeen, were first induced more fully to adopt, as well as publicly to avow in that city, the principles of Friends. Without doubt, there were not any likely to appreciate such

epistolary counsel more duly than these, who could regard the writer of it as their spiritual father, one that, to a certain extent, had in Christ Jesus begotten them through the gospel,-themselves also as his work in the Lord.-A copy of the letter is preserved, as follows.

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Warwick, 29th of 8th month, 1672. "My dear Friends,

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All watch and wait in the light of the Lord, that every thought be judged down, that is contrary to the light; then will the cross be laid to the ground of your own thoughts, and the true baptism of Christ [be] known, which will bury you in such deep humility and sense of the free mercy of the Lord, [as] to raise you up in the living faith, to reign over your own thoughts and wills. Then will you be born again into a pure subjection to the pure light, [to the] thoughts and will of God, which is our sanctification and perfection of glory manifested within us, &c.: and so will you witness the new and holy birth, which makes self of no reputation, neither boasteth in any thing it doth; but followeth the Lord in his pure leadings, to serve him and his people in love, in whatever he calls into, to the perfecting of his praises, and the comfort of his people for ever!

"In which life, feel the yearning bowels of your brother towards you, who are truly poor in spirit; for, the unspeakable mercies of the Most High God, is your inheritance for ever! The Almighty God keep all your garments clean in his holy power, and in it exercise you, to the building up one another in your most holy faith; that, in the pure chaste love, you may grow up in the unity of the spirit and bond of peace, to shine forth as the morning stars to enlighten the people in that nation. Oh! be faithful, my dear

Friends; for the Lord hath a great people in Scotland; for whom I, with many of our brethren, have travailed, in jeopardy of our lives, in years past, casting our bread upon the waters, with hopes to find it after many days. And seeing God hath called you to be the first fruits, and to make you a blessing, as you wait to be ordered of the Lord, as before written,— then will my great expectation be answered in the behalf of the holy Seed, whom my soul loves in that land,—and remains your dear brother in the light, thoughts, and will of our God for ever!

"WILLIAM DEWSBURY." "Read this in the fear of the Lord, and send copies amongst the meetings of his holy people in Scotland."

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A transaction recorded in manuscript, as having taken place in the course of this year in the neigh bourhood of Montrose, should here be brought into notice. John Swintoune, who had been in the north, and was then on his return southwards, in conjunction with Robert Barclay, had it on their minds to be at the meeting of Friends belonging to Kinnaber and Montrose, which was proposed to be held at the latter place on the 8th of the 10th month, being the First day of the week. The circumstances in which this little company then stood, were as follows. There had been for some years a meeting for worship kept up at Kinnaber, near Montrose; but, the views held by the Society coming to be adopted by some persons at Montrose, it was deemed desirable, they should occasionally assemble in that town. During the space of at least two months before, most or all of these Friends had been detained in prison, on account of this public testimony towards God; but by an order from the King's Council at Edinburgh,

their freedom had been just then acquired. So that they were about to evince, on this the first occasion that presented after dismissal from confinement, their grateful sense of allegiance to the Majesty of heaven, by humbling themselves before His presence, who had granted them support and deliverance in the time of trouble. Thus situated, J. Swintoune and R. Barclay came to visit them, and lodged at William Napier's, where the meeting was to be held the next day. They met accordingly, and enjoyed a good season together in solemn worship; undisturbed by the magistrates, although they had declared, they would recommit the Friends whenever they assembled after that manner. Having separated and mostly withdrawn, the town officers entered, saying, that they had orders from the magistrates to detain them there, till their own worship should be over, it being then near three o'clock. About an hour after this, William Napier, the master of the house, was called for to the council-house, where the magistrates were then met. J. Swintoune and R. Barclay did not think fit to forsake their host, though the officer endeavoured to prevent their accompanying him. On this, they asked him, if they also were prisoners? he said, No: they were not called for. J. S. and R. B., however, went forward. William Napier being called up, the magistrates demanded, Whether he would still trouble their town? He asked, Wherein? They said, In having meetings in his house. He, without confessing or denying the fact, said, He hoped there was no law against the worship of God, and that this could be no crime. They told him, He was to go back to prison, whence he had been so lately released. J. S. and R. B., having intimated their desire to speak to the magistrates, were next called; upon which the