Biggar and the House of Fleming

THE PRESBYTERY OF BIGGAR. 211
as it was called, the entry and possession, of the new Presby-
tery, should be suspended during the pleasure of the General
Assembly. Principal Baillie says that this was done "be-
cause of my Lord Fleming's small affection to the common
cause." The meaning of this most likely is, that by this time
his Lordship had deserted the cause of Presbytery, and gone over
to the side of the King and Episcopacy. The ministers and elders
of the parishes embraced in the new Presbytery presented a peti-
tion to the General Assembly which met at Edinburgh in June
1644, craving that the reverend court should without further
delay constitute the Presbytery. This " supplicatioun being
read in audience of the General Assembly, and thereafter the
Commissioners from the Presbyteries of Lanark and Peebles per-
sonally present being heard at length, in what they could say
or allege therein ; And the said supplicatioun and desire thereof
with the alledgiances and objections made against the samine
being taken into consideration by the Assembly, and they
therewith being fully and ripely advised, the Assembly, after
removing of the parties, and after consideration of the premisses
and voycing of the foresaid desire, Ordaines the entrie and
possessione of the foresaid Presbyterie of Biggar, consisting of
the particular kirks above mentioned, to begin now presently;
And appoints and ordaines all the ministers and ruling elders
of the foresaid kirks above specified, whereof the said Presby-
tery consists, to meet and convene with all conveniencie at
the said Kirk of Biggar, which is the place and seat of the
samine Presbytery; And the Assembly refers to the Commis-
sioners, to be appointed by them for the public affairs of the
Kirk, to determine to what Synod this the said new erected
Presbyterie shall be subordinate, as also to prescribe the order
and solemnities that shall be necessar for entering and possess-
ing the ministers and elders in the said Presbyterie."
The Presbytery was accordingly constituted on the 26th of
July 1644, when a sermon was preached on 1st Peter ii. and
9, by Alexander Somervail, Dolphinton, who had been the
most strenuous advocate in favour of its establishment. The fol-
lowing are the names of the clergymen who, along with a ruling
elder from each parish, formed the Presbytery, viz: — Thomas
Campbell, Biggar ; Robert Brown, Broughton ; Alexander Som-
ervail, Dolphinton; Kenneth Logie, Skirling; George Bennet,