INSCRIPTION ON MONUMENT IN FENWICK CHURCHYARD HERE LIES THE BODY OF JAMES WHITE WHO WAS SHOT TO DEATH AT LITTLE BLACKWOOD BY PETER INGLES AND HIS PARTY 1685 (other side) THIS MARTYR WAS BY PETER INGLES SHOT BY BIRTH A TYGER RATHER THAN A SCOT WHO THAT HIS MONSTROUS EXTRACT MIGHT BE SEEN CUT OFF HIS HEAD & KICKT IT OER THE GREEN THUS WAS THAT HEAD WHICH WAS TO WEAR A CROWN A FOOTBALL MADE BY A PROFANE DRAGOUN INSCRIPTIONS ON MONUMENTS TO THE WIGTOWN MARTYRS,' CHURCHYARD, WIGTOWN. (See Photograph, p. 470) HERE LYES MARGRAT IN GLENVERNOCH ANNO 1685 AGED 18 I LET EARTH AND STONE STILL WITNES BEARE HERE LYES A VIRGINE MARTYRE HERE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND NO MORE CRIME AND HER NOT OUNING PRELACY THEY HER CONDEMD BY UNJUST LAW OF HEAVEN NOR HELL THEY STOOD NO AW SHE SUFFERED FOR CHRIST JESUS SAKE WAS LAGG STRACHAN WINRAM AND GRHAME COULD STOP. THE FURY OF THERE RAGE II MEMENTO MORI HERE LYES MARGRAT LACHLANE WHO WAS BY UN JUST LAW SENTENC ED TO DIE BY LAGG STRACHANE WIN RAME AND GRHAME AND TYED TO A STAKE WITHIN THE FLOOD FOR HER ADHERENCE TO SCOTLANDS RE FORMATION COVE NANTS NATIONAL AND SOLEMN LEAGUE AGED 63 1685 III MEMENTO MORI HERE LYSE WILLIAM JOHNSTON NCE OF LAW HANGED BY MA JOR WINRAM FOR THEIR ADHER MATION COVENANTS NATION AL AND SOLEMN LEAGUE 1685 INSCRIPTIONS IN DALGARNO CHURCHYARD, DUMFRIESSHIRE COMMEMORATING AN ENTERKIN RESCUER Here lyes the body of James died 6th Dec. 1723 aged 72 years Belo this stone this dust doth ly Persecution by tyranny Did him pursue with eho and cry At last by Clavers he was taen But God who for his soul took care Because no other cause they had (Cf. Photograph, p. 350.) Here lyeth the body of intrist of Jesus Christ [This Harkness was the posthumous son of the martyr referred to on pages 432, 438 in this volume.] APPENDIX III THE UNITED SOCIETIES A Copy of the Minute Books of the United Societies is in the possession of Mr. J. B. Dalzell, Larkhall, who, during the progress of this work, has given me much information; and to him I am indebted for this account of the aims and work of the Societies 'The peculiar dangers to which the Covenanters were exposed from 1660 to the Revolution demanded the adoption of certain precautions, if they were to retain their lives and freedom. Accordingly it was agreed among themselves that no public action was to be taken by any individual independently of the general body, and it followed, as a natural consequence, that if a common understanding were to be maintained amongst them, a permanent union of some sort would require to be inaugurated. 'That union eventually took the shape of the UNITED SOCIETIES, and delegates from each district of societies met quarterly for consultation and united action. 'The various grades of organisation of the members of the United Societies were: General Meetings (held quarterly); Shire Meetings or Correspondences; Societies; and lastly, Fellowship Meetings. 'The results and productions of the General Meetings were: various declarations; the renewing of the Covenants; the printing of the Cloud of Witnesses and other volumes; the placing of memorial stones over the graves of the martyrs; the guarding of the Convention; the raising of the Cameronian Regiment in 1689 at Douglas; and many others that have exercised a more or less perceptible influence over the destinies of the country. 'Care was stringently exercised to prevent the entrance into membership of spies who might give information to the "curates" or to the military, and also of persons who might, by their unseemly carriage, bring discredit upon the others. Applicants for admission were bound to answer satisfactorily certain queries. 'Various sets of these queries were in use at one time or other. One set was composed by Mr. Hepburn, another by Mr. Walter Smith, whilst a third exists in the Hamilton of Calderhead MSS., though the use of that one is believed to have been confined to a sect somewhat limited in numbers, of much later origin, and holding very extreme views." 'The set most generally in use, however, was from the pen of the youthful martyr Renwick. Many references to the one composed by him are to be found in the minutes of the General Meetings both before and after the Revolution. The minute of the General Meeting-Cabinet meeting it might be called, so limited and exclusive it would be held at Douglas Water on May 20, 1696, reads: "Concluded that every soceity provide and have for themselves ane correct copy of the paper called the artickles or methods to be used for Receiving members into the societie published by Mr. James Renwick in order to destinct understanding and putting them exactly in practice and execution according to the queiries of the Gen. meeting." 'Eventually the employment of these queries for admitting members would seem to have fallen into disuse, as the minute of the General Meeting held at Crawfordjohn on May 1, 1714, reads thus: "(3) That for the futter Intrants into Societies who are not under personall scandall or guilty of imoralities but only of the public Defection of Church & State be not required to give any other Obligation under their hand, save the consciencious superscription of the Covenants with the Acknouledgment of Sins and Engagments to Dutys."-(Extracted from copy of the "Minuts.") 'The late Rev. J. H. Thomson of Hightae had a copy of Renwick's set, but it was so faint that he had a difficulty in deciphering it. In November 1888 Mr. Thomas Binnie, 3 Park Gate, Glasgow, had then an imperfect copy.' Mr. Dalzell's copy forms part of a thin duodecimo manuscript volume, covered quaintly with a portion of a 'barn wecht.' It is in the handwriting of several persons. It contains the 1692 Declaration, The hitherto unpublished Tinwald Paper, which was the means of gathering together in 1691 what eventually was known as the Reformed Presbyterian Church, An abridgment of Some Causes of the Lord's Contraversie, The 1695 Protestation, Renwick's Letter and Queries, And a complete copy of Some Causes of the Lord's Contraversie, with curious marginal notes. From the history of this copy it is probable that it was compiled for the use of a Society in or in the vicinity of Newmilns. APPENDIX IV THE CESS THE Acts for taxation or 'Cess,' so much objected to by the Covenanters on the ground that the money assessed was unjustly applied to the suppression of the upholders of Presbyterianism and of the Covenant, were: 1661, c. 128, Act. Parl. Scot., vii. 88. Act raising £40,000 yearly for King's use. 1665, vii. 530-535. War tax-forty shillings annually for five years off each pound land, old extent. 1667, vii. 540a. £72,000 monthly for one year in shires and burghs. 1670, c. 3. viii. 8. £360,000 Scots for King. 1672, c. 4. viii. 62, £864,000 Scots for War against States General-out of personal as well as real property. Ibid., 62b. 1678 (10th July), viii. 221-9. Supply for forces to suppress field conventicles, £1,800,000 Scots approved. 1681, c. 3, viii. 240. Supply continued for five years. Ibid., 2416, heritors to be relieved by tenantry, retired gentlemen, tradesmen, cottars, and servants. 1685, c. 12, viii. 463. Act of supply offering James vII. £216,000 yearly, granted for life in 1681. 1685, c. 38 (June 4), viii. 483. Act for poll-money from parishioners to relieve heritors in paying supply. |