Transcription
A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE MARTYRDOM OF JAMES ALGIE & JOHN PARK, WHO SUFFERED AT THE CROSS OF PAISLEY, ON THE 3RD OF FEBRUARY, 1685. (From the Liberator.) THE Broomlands church has changed its name. A stone has been inserted over the main door, bearing the'follow- ing inscription:- MARTYRS' CHURCH, Erected in 1835, by the Friends of the Church of Scotland. "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee." This name is given, ostensibly, as a tribute to the me- mory of the martyrs who are buried in the adjoining field, which field is to be included in the new burying ground, and an clegant mounment is to be created over the precious remains, from a design by Mr. Drummond, architect, The martyrs, James Algie and John Park, were exe- cuted at the Cross of Paisley, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, l635, for refusing the abjuration and test oaths, and were buried in the Gallowgreen, near to the foot of what is now Max- welton Street. About 50 years ago, what remained of their bones and dust were removed, and interred in the field above alluded to, which at that time was intended for a public cemetry. Those patriots who have served their country, who have died in its defence, or who have laid down their lives for the cause of truth, ought to be held in ever-honoured re- membrance. Their heroic deeds, their noble daring, and their godly virtues, are associated with the best and the purest feelings of the human heart; and he whose heart dose not warm, and his puls best his at the recollection of the stern honour, the indomitable spirit of independ- ence, and matchless perseverance of the persecuted Cove- nanters, during trials and perils almost unexampled in the annals of civilized life, is neither a true Scotsman, nor the friend of the human kind. Some there are , who consider that the giving of the church the name of " Martyrs'," arises from selfish mo- tives, with a view that it will operate as an enthusiastic charm, thereby securing to the house more general patron- age and secular attention ; but in a case like this, the pa- triot and the philosopher cares little for the motives, if they are founded in honour. Ere long, the men and the motives, and the present generation will be gone and for- gotten, but the church and its inscription will remain to point out to the patriot pilgrim the path to the martyrs' tomb. The present church of Scotland, however, must retrace its steps, and a long course of defection, before it can bear any resemblance to that Church of Scotland for which these martyrs suffered. The present Scottish Church is essentially Erastian in its constitution, very unlike the pure republican form of the ancient church. In its ancient practice the church conducted its election on the princi ple of universal suffrage; the minister and the members of session were appointed by the people. Accordingly, its presbyteries, its synods, and the General Assembly, spoke the voice of the people, and in truth shewed the very form and pressure of the times. Hence their judicatories were the determined advocates of the rights of the people, both civil and religious, and hence the hatred in which they Were held by the aristocracy and by a profligate court. It was the sage apothegm of Charles II. that a Presbyterian Church was incompatible with a kingly government, and these views led to that severe and ruthless persecution of which the martyrs in question, among many thousands of others, were the victims. There is one curiosity in this state of thlings which is noticed neither by Voluntaries nor Compulsories, viz. a Church firmly established, and yet, so far from being influenced by the State, always acting powerfully in opposition to the arbitrary sway of a corrupt government. As an elucidation of what we have wrote, and to give information on a subject that is but partially known, we deem it proper to give a brief narrative of the" transactions connected with the apprehension and legal murder of the two young martyrs, and we hope that the inference drawn from the whole will shew the absolute necessity for every individual, whatever his rank in life may be, to be con- stantly on the watch, least his civil and religious rights should be invaded. James Algie and John Park were residents in the pa- rish of Eastwood, and had, for some time previous to their arrestment, rented conjunctly the small farm of Kennes- head,1n the barony of Darnley. They had,however, left it some short time antecedent to this, which so irritated the person that had been instrumental in bringing them into the farm, that, in the vindictive spirit of revenge, he sent his nephew, upon Sabbath, Feb. 1st, with a letter to John Cochrane of Ferguslie, at Paisley, baillie of the re- gality of Darnley, informing him that these two persons were inimical to the Government, and that he, as judge ordinary, ought to notice them, as he would be answera ble. The bearer arrived during the forenoon's service, and was put into confinement until it was over, when a party of soldiers were ordered out, and the two young men were seized in their own house while at worship, and imme diately carried to Paisley, where they underwent a long- examination in the afternoon ; but not giving satisfaction, they were, as was to be expected, committed for trial, which was appointed, to take place on Tuesday. On Monday they were visited by a pions Presbyterian minister, one of the indulged, as they were termed." They appeared to him to be pious, consciencious men, and that they had latterly imbibed the doctrines of those who denied the king's auth- ority. He, however, so far overcame their scruples, that they consented to take the oath of abjuration ; but when, in open court, they offered to take the oath, the bloody minded Hamilton of Orbiston answered, "The abjnration oath shall not save you,unless you take the test also, you shall hang presently." The men, having a just abhorrence of the test, instantly replied, " If to save our lives we must take the test, and the abjuration will not save us, we will take no oaths at all. This was about ten o'clock in the morning, and they were immediately sentenced to be hang- ed at two in the afternoon. Orbiston was the commis- sioner of the court of justiciary, and he was bound by the law, even as it then stood, to liberate them on their taking the oath of abjuration ; but the truth was, Lord Ross was the prime mover in all these bloody transactions, and Or- biston was a mere tool in his hands, and it was determined that these men should die. Orbiston boasted after the sen- tence was passed, " They thought to have cheated the judges, but, by G?d, I have tricked them." So dreadful was the thirst for innocent blood in these evil days. When they came to the scaffold they behaved with great fortitude, but when they attempted to address the assem- bled multitude, the drums were beat to drown their voice They sang the118th psalm, from the 17th verse down, wards, and when giving out the lines :? We shall not die, but live, and shall The works of God discover? the miscreant Lord Ross exclaimed, shaking his head, " But ye shall dic." The able and acute editor of Wodrow's history, Dr. Burns, attempts to extenuate this internal saying of Lord Ross, (merely, we suppose, because it was the saving of a Lord), on the grounds that that nobleman alluded to the chance of a rescuc. But on reading Wodrow's account of the execution, the very reverse of a rescue is quite ap- parent and no man can have the least hesitation in saying that the exclamation proceeded from the black malignant heart of the wretch. After singing the psalm and praying, they offered their bible to any of the crowd that might be pleased to accept them, but such was, the general fear that no person would take them. The martyrs then quietly declared that they, would die with the word of truth in their bosoms. Their waiscoats were accordingly unbuttoned by the executioner, and the bibles placed nearest their heart,and in a feiv mo- ments these worthy youths were launched into eternity. Thus died these noble martyrs ; and well may their sim- ple epitaph say " This shall a standing witness be, "Twixt Presbytery and Prelacy." The miscreant Lord Ross outlived the Revolution, and received emolument, and was covered with undeserved honour by the WHIGS; but nothing could allay the horrors of his perturbed imagination, which peopled his den at Hawkhead with demons, and other evil spirits, tan himself was said frequently to pay him a visit; and often had the pious ministers of the Abbey church to wait upon him for the purpose of soothing his awakened con- science. He at length went to his account; the name is now totally extinct, and the family is merged in that of' Kelburne. And happy for the world, if any of that gall and malignity of spirit which characterized Lord Ross be inherited by his successors, it must quietly evaporate in the petty persecution of poachers. CALDWELL AND SON PRINTERS.
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1835 shelfmark: L.C.Fol.73(115)
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