History and traditions of the land of the Lindsays in Angus and Mearns

EDZELL — EPISCOPAL RIOTS OF 1714. 9
and protected by him in every possible manner, and openly
taught his revolutionary principles — " prayed for the popish
pretender as King of those realms," and " preached in the great
hall of Edzell " to assembled multitudes. In this manner they
not only held exhortations on Sabbaths, but took the manage-
ment of all parochial business as " the Kirk-session of Edzell"
— relieved the poor of the parish, and elected a schoolmaster —
and until active measures were taken by Government for the
minister's removal, successfully maintained their position against
all and sundry.
In this state of matters, on the 26th of August, 1714, the
Presbytery ordained the Rev. Mr. Gray as Mr. Lindsay's suc-
cessor, and it could scarcely be supposed that one of so bold and
impetuous a temperament as the laird would quietly submit to
have his power set aside, and the important adjunct of patron of
the parish summarily wrested out of his hands. It was, indeed
a fitting opportunity for a display of his determined character •
and, although aware that ere long he would require to bid the
lands of his sires adieu for ever, he resolved to support his feudal
title in all its bearings, so long as he held possession. Accord-
ingly, on the Sabbath after Mr. Gray's ordination, which the
Presbytery found necessary, for safety's sake, to conduct at
Brechin, " the doors of the church were shut [against him] by
order of the laird," and, for want of better accommodation, he
preached his first sermon in the open air.
For some reason or other not specified, but perhaps from the
laird's absence from the parish, Mr. Gray had admission to the
church on the two following Sundays, but on the third and
fourth thereafter, he and a Mr. Johnston were severally excluded,
together with their followers, "whom they had brought with them
from Brechin," all of whom " were most inhumanly and bar-
barously treated" by the Jacobites. None abashed, however, the
presbyterians persevered in maintaining their ground; but on the
third of October the crisis was reached, and Mr. Gray and party
had no sooner arrived at the church, than they were violently
assaulted by a band of men and women, under the laird's
directions, who beat and maltreated them in every conceivable
way, by cutting their clothes, and stabbing and beating them with
" durks, and stones, and rungs," and forcing them to wade to and