Chapter XXVII: The Curates
“May 3, 1666.—Christopher Morison compeared, and being instructed to declare who married him, desired time to advise till next Presbytery, at which time he promised to give satisfaction both as to that and his oath of allegiance which he was required to take, with certification that in case he declared not who married him, or brought a testimonial to that effect from that minister, signed by two witnesses, he should be proceeded against.” [8]
“July 26, 1666.—It is appointed that Mr. Adam Getlie be delated to the Archbishop for living so near his former church without a licence, and in that there is a presumption for his keeping of conventicles.” [9]
“May 9, 1667.—As for ministers outed by the law and now residing in the Presbytery, the brethren declare that there are none but such as were given up formerly to the Archbishop, and such as frequent publick ordinances.”
“Dec. 20, 1666.—Mr. Alexander Leslie, minister of Inverkip, reported that there was some surmise in the country of a conventicle that should have been in the parish of Kilmalcolm about five weeks ago, upon which the Presbytery ordains Mr. Irving, minister in that parish, to use diligence for trying the truth of the same, and to search how it may be legally instructed.”
“Feb. 27, 1667.—Anent the conventicle, minister can get no proof; further diligence enjoined to him.”
“Feb. 28, 1667.—As to the conventicle, after all diligence can find no way so that the truth of it can be legally instructed.”
The severities of this period were succeeded by an act of grace. An indulgence was given to certain Presbyterian ministers who were permitted to occupy vacant pulpits upon specific conditions, and the persecutions to which the people were subjected were much lightened. No sooner was this done than the people in great numbers left the ministers they had been compelled to attend.
“May 13, 1670.—Mr. Geo. Birnie declares that the ordinances were generally disdained by his people since September last, and that none brought children to be baptised by him since ; that the people did not attend diets of examination, and that his session had deserted him.”
“Aug. 23, 1671.—Minister of Houston declares the kirk to be very ill-kept and baptism to be withdrawn from, and that he cannot very well visit families in regard they absent themselves.”
Mr. Pearson, the first of the Episcopal ministers who came to Paisley, left for Dunfermline February 6, 1666, and was succeeded soon after by Mr. James Chambers, who filled the charge at the time the indulgence was granted. A sum of money was immediately offered him by the town of Paisley to demit his living, that they might get a preacher after their own mind. He accepted two hundred merks, resigned his parish, and “went his way.” [10] Mr. Matthew Ramsay, who had once been at Kilpatrick, but had been deposed for nonconformity, succeeded him with the approval of Lord Dundonald, the consent of the Secret Council, and the concurrence of the parishioners. He was much esteemed in Paisley, according to Wodrow, [11] who gives a very minute notice of him, “and was much helped in public to be very free in reproving the sins of great men and rulers ; and he did it in such a manner as they could be no means win [12] at him, for he always brought in most suitable and pertinent Scriptures for confirming all that he said about the sins of the times. He would have said, ‘Ye need not say Mr. Matthew Ramsay says this, but its the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah sayes this.’ He was one day most free and faithful when a great number of nobles were present in my Lord Dundonald's loft ; and when he had ended his sermon they were all forced to say, ‘This is a very odd and strange man ; for he has been all this day on the very borders of treason, but we could never get him uttering that which we could prove to be treason’ : he so confirmed all that he said by the plain word of God.”
[8] Morison escaped to Ireland.
[9] To preach at a conventicle was punishable by death and confiscation of goods; to be present
was to run the risk of a heavy fine.
[10] Town Council Records, 26th August, 1669, where there is a full account of the transaction.
[11] Analecta, Vol. III., p. 63.
[12] Get.