Ayrshire > Volume 1

294 HISTORY OF AYRSHIRE
of any they knew had been at Bothwell, or Ayrsmoss, or
an}*- other rising, or such as had reset and conversed with
them. Great numbers were given up. The persons
delated, whether of the risings or the converse, though
themselves had never been in arms, were charged before
the Circuit to purge themselves from suspicion by taking
the Test. All who compeared, and took it not, were
imprisoned, and such as did not appear by sound of
trumpet and tuck of drum, were denounced at the Cross
at Ayr. Most part of such as were imprisoned gave
bond and caution to appear at Edinburgh against such
a day, and enter themselves. When they came there,
they were either imprisoned or gave bond to appear at
another da} 7 , and severals had a third bond to
give before the expiration of the second, and before
the expiration of that they were allowed to prove
themselves ' alibi ' (elsewhere) at the time of the rising,
and to purge themselves from reset and converse by
taking the Test. And such who did not so were either
imprisoned or denounced rebels at the head burgh of
the shire, and their names printed in a fugitive roll, so
that all who conversed with them, or harboured them,
might be as guilty as they."
Those who were charged with being in arms with the
rebels at Bothwell included Matthew Campbell of
Watershaugh, Robert Lockhart of Bankhead, James
Brown, son to James Brown, portioner in Newmilns ;
John Paterson, portioner in Dandillan ; Adam Reid,
portioner in Mauchline ; John Wilson, portioner in
Lindsayhill ; John Crawford of Forshaw, Adam Brown
of Duncanziemuir, John Halbert, Colonel Burns, and
James M'Neilly of Auchnairn. Lockhart and Brown
alone appeared. They confessed having been at the
rising, craved mercy, and offered to take the Test.
They were sentenced to death, but there is no record of
effect being given to the sentence, and it may be
presumed that remissions were granted to them. The
rest were denounced as traitors, and sentenced to be
executed when apprehended. William Boswell, a young