[Sharp's] public career after the Restoration is without redeeming points; and even as one stands by his bloody grave, where I have stood more than once with the wisest and gentlest of modern Anglican teachers, it is hardly possible to start a tear of sympathy over his awful fate.'1 After all, there may have been many who thought, what Judge Brodie wrote in his Diary: 'I heard that the Bishop of St. Androes was kild. It grewd my soul to hear that ane professing reall grace should fall in such an act. I abhor it perfectlie.' As was to be expected, the Covenanters were divided into two parties when considering the justifiableness of the execution of Sharp by self-constituted judges—the extremists, such as the author of A Hind Let Loose, defending, and other sufferers reprobating it. Wodrow mentions the fact that the Scots congregation in Rotterdam would not allow the outlawed Balfour to have fellowship with them in the Communion on account of his indefensible life and character. 2 4 The baneful influence of Sharp, so far from dying with him, found expression in the redoubled rigour with which his bereft associates persisted in executing old and new persecuting enactments. The high-priest's mantle fell on the King's advocate-Mackenzie. On the 4th May the Council issued a Hue and Cry, with the names of the assassins printed red, probably in blood, offering 10,000 merks for their apprehension, plainly attributing the murder to the conventiclers, and ordering heritors and masters in Fife to gather all the inhabitants at four centres for examination, the absentees to be reckoned assenters to the murder." Another proclamation made heritors and masters responsible for the offences of suspects not apprehended or evicted from their lands or service." Another forbade any one carrying arms without a licence." The killing of a Crown dignitary afforded a pretext for further 1 Principal Tulloch, Scottish Divines, 138 (Edin., 1883). 2 5th May 1679: Diary, 412. 3 Wodrow, iii. 47. Sir Walter Scott probably had a foundation for the vow which he makes Claverhouse take, never to excuse any from the ample and bitter penalty of the law, until I shall have taken as many lives in vengeance of this atrocious murder, as the old man had grey hairs upon his venerable head': Old Mortality, x. 6 Wodrow, iii. 52 note. 7 Aldis, List, 2162. * Ibid., 56, 57, 58 and notes; Aldis, List, 2160, 2170. the Govern ment. 2 Vengeance of spoliation. There was little need for fresh incitements. On that very May day Lord Ross had to throw eight soldiers into irons for committing a wanton burglary and arson.1 Innocents apprehended lay in prison long, untried, forgotten. For holding private worship in a relative's house after canonical hours, William Hamilton, a preacher, was thrown into the cells, where dysentery cut him off before he could be tried, no engagement for his compearance being acceptable to the Council. The jailors and Claverhouse were busy. The westlandmen burned with rage. Flight of the assassins. From Magus Moor the bloodstained gang, after gathering up their cloaks and pistols, rode away to hold a prayer-meeting for several hours, at which they praised themselves, gloried in their deed, and lauded God, 'seeing He had been pleased to honour them to act for Him and to execute His justice upon that wretch.' The disordered Dingwall avowed that he heard the Lord saying to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servants.' Thereafter they rode away, some to home, others into hiding. The Balfours, Hackston, and Russell rode together, deviously, and, after various adventures, came to Dunblane, where they had a stiff refreshment of brandy before proceeding to Kippen. There a preacher joined them, and while, on 18th May, they were preparing for a conventicle in Fintry Craigs, a party of horse from Stirling attacked and dispersed them, not until some of the soldiers were wounded, and one of the Whigs, called Robert Rainie, received a spent shot, Burly only evading capture by flight over a bog. Often suspected, and even recognised, although never betrayed, they skulked and moved towards the safer west, where Richard Cameron's following were defying the Government.* Richard Cameron, since obtaining licence in the spring of 1678, had developed into a fervid evangelical preacher and an implacable 1 Napier, Memorials, ii. 203. 2 E.g. the cases of James Stirk, Thomas Ness, William Falconer (bedfast): Reg. Sec. Conc., Dec., 330, 425. 3 Wodrow, iii. 54. 4 For the shelter which Hackston got from Allan of Elsrickle near Biggar, he presented his host with his ring, and remarked, 'I am uncolys [exceedingly] obleeged to you.' The ring is in the possession of Mrs. Pearson, Crofthead, Muirkirk, whose family preserve this anecdote. On Cameron and enemy to Erastianism, even in its compromise between the outed and Richard the indulged ministry, which was favoured by Welsh, Blackadder, the irreconand other moderately inclined nonconformists. The latter, lamenting cilables. further divisions, worked for reunion and peace. The Cameronian or Cargill party with Douglas and others, encouraged by the trenchant advices and pamphlets of the exiles, Brown, MacWard, and others, deemed it their duty to hold denunciatory services in the parishes allotted to the indulged. Cameron would not brook any restraint or even counsel on these points, and continued banning the Indulgence and the State for interfering with the Church. The more prudent nonconforming ministers, who had licensed Cameron, cited him to compear at Sundaywell on 14th November 1678, and at Dindeuch in Galloway on 26th December 1678, to submit to presbyterial discipline and instruction.1 Cameron, supported by Henry Hall of Haughhead, Robert Hamilton, Robert Gray, John Fowler, Michael Cameron, his brother, and others, attended at Sunday well. Taking exception to the procedure, Cameron haughtily left the convention, unconcerned about the proposal to take away his licence.2 Robert Hamilton objected to these unconstitutional meetings altogether. 3 Hamilton, Robert Hamilton was the younger son of Sir Thomas Hamilton Sir Robert of Preston and Fingalton (who signed the Covenant in 1638) and was 1650-1701. born in 1650. He was educated in the house of Professor Gilbert Burnet, brother-in-law to his father. According to Burnet, Robert was 'then a lively, hopeful, young man,' whom the company of dissenters turned into 'a crackbrained enthusiast.'5 Blackadder describes him as the young incompetent convener of meddlers and 1 Sundaywell or Sundewal, a fine old house, Kirko's home, with the inscription 'J. K. S. W., 1651,' still stands on the road between Dunscore and Craigenputtock. * Herkless, Cameron, 68-78; Howie, The Scots Worthies (Carslaw's edition), 423. J. B. Dalzell, The Covenanters, 8 (Hamilton, 1888). Janet Hamilton, his sister, married Alexander Gordon of Earlston. M'Millanites, according to Patrick Walker, 'should be called Hamiltonians, after Robert Hamilton, who was the only man . . . that led them in these untroden, dangerous paths of positive disowning of the State, and separation from the Church, and [from] all others that dare not nor will not go their lengths in principles and practices': Six Saints, i. 138, 139; Howie, The Scots Worthies, 597-607. Burnet's sister was the second wife of Sir Thomas Hamilton, and step-mother of Robert. |