Religion & morality > Cloud of witnesses, for the royal prerogatives of Jesus Christ, or, The last speeches and testimonies of those who suffered for the truth in Scotland, in the years 1681-1688, with an appendix, containing the Queensferry paper, Torwood excommunications, &c

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LAST SPEECH AND TESTIMONY OP
Mr. Donald Cargil, and those that were faithful to the death,
and sealed the cause with their blood. And O, how did I
love and long to be a witness for him, both against my own
former ways, and the ways of that abominable Prelacy, v/hich
now I hate ; and to get leave to lay down my life for Christ
and his precioustruths ! And now he has granted me my
heart’s desire, and I seal it with my blood, that this is the
way of God, and his truth, which I now lay down my life for.
Not having time, I shall say no more; I leave my wife to the
good guiding of the Lord, and commend him and his way
for her to follow, and my love to her, and all my dear friends
in Newcastle. Farewell, farewell in our blessed Lord Jesus.
And welcome, Lord Jesus, for whom-I suffer, and whose love
I long to have in possession. Welcome, heaven and holy
angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, through the
blood of the Lamb : welcome, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
into whose hands I commit my spirit.
Thomas Robertson.
Testimony of James Nicol, merchant, burgess of Peebles, who suffer'
ed at the Grass-market, Edinburgh, August 27, 1684.
Interrogations before the Privy Council, August 18.
First, I was interrogated by two, in a room privately, thus :
Were you at Bothwell-bridge 1 A. I am not bound to be
my own accuser. I do not (said one of them) desire you;
but only say upon your honest word, that you were not
there. A. I am not bound to satisfy you, but prove what
you have to say against me, till I come before my accusers.
Well, said he, I am one of them. Then I answered, I was
there. How came you to rise in arms against the king7
A. Because he has broken the covenant of the Lord my
God. Was the prelate’s death murder? A. No, it was
not murder. Was Hackstoun’s death murder ? A. That it
was indeed. How dare ye own the Covenant, seeing the
king gave orders to burn it by the hand of the hangman ?
A. Yes, I dare own it; for although ye should escape the
hand of man for so doing, yet ye shall all pay for it ere all
be done, and that to purpose : as for me I would not do it
for the whole earth. Then I was interrogated by other
two, who asked some frivolous questions, which I baffled to
silence. Then I was brought in before the bloody crew.