Grampian Club > Scotland, social and domestic

314 Scotland, Social and Domestic.
William Douglas, eldest son of William, Earl of
Angus, and David Graham, of Fintry, were tried before
the Justiciary Court on the 19th May, 1591, on the
charge that " they had declynit fra the trew and
Christiane religioun, refuising to resorte to the preiche-
ing of Godis worde." They were further charged that
" be ressoning or dispersing of buikis or lettres, they
had presumit to persuade his maiesteis subiectis to
declyne fra the professioun of the trew religioun."
Both the accused persons appeared, and the former
bound himself by a cautioner, that within forty days he
would leave the kingdom, and not return to it without
the king's licence, " vnder the pane of ten thousand
poundis." The sentence against Graham is not recorded.
In 1612, the Synod of Fife, which comprehended
within its jurisdiction the counties of Fife, Perth, and
Forfar, ordained the brethren to report the names of
" non-communicantis." Among those " delated," the
more notable were George, first Marquis of Huntly, and
Francis, ninth Earl of Errol. The former owned large
possessions, was married to the king's cousin, and was
esteemed at court. He had long refused to conform to
Presbyterianism, and he was now fortified in his resolu-
tion by his wife, whose father, Esme, Duke of Lennox,
had, after much vacillation, at length embraced Episco-
pacy. The Earl of Errol had remained firm in his
attachment to the Romish faith, and on this account
had suffered imprisonment and considerable loss of
fortune. With respect to these noblemen, the Synod
arrived at the following judgment : —
"Sept. 1612. Forasmeikle as all dealing that- the
Kirk vnder takes against papistrie and the professoures
thairof is vneffectual, sa lang as no ordour is takin with