History of the life and death of John, Earl of Gowrie

138 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF
Mr. William Cowper, who afterwards was pro-
moted to the see of Galloway, was at the time one
of the ministers of Perth. Though he thought it
most expedient, for preserving the public peace,
to endeavour to vindicate the King in the bloody
affair which had lately happened, he could not re-
frain from saying, in a sermon which he preached
after the Earl's death, " He was one whom we
loved. What grief his death wrought in me, my
conscience beareth record. The loss of no earthly
creature ever went so near my heart *."
The Earl had to establish a family of servants in
his house at Perth, and another in his castle of
Ruthven. He had not the opportunity of being
well acquainted with their characters, and some of
them, it will afterwards appear, were unfaithful.
He had many near relations in Perthshire, who,
with other noblemen and gentlemen, came to visit
him, and were hospitably entertained ; and he
lived in a very amicable correspondence with the
ministers of the gospel.
Though his residence in Perth continued but a
* Bishop Cowper's MS. Tracts and Sermons in my posses-
sion. His forenoon's sermon on the conversion of Zaccheus.