Series 1 > Journals of Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall, with his observations on public affairs and other memoranda, 1665-1676

BANISHED MINISTERS’ MANIFESTO
141
casuists, politicians, canonists, and Quod-libetists, yea to
Royalists themselfes, whither or no when a nation is broken in
3 or 4 battells, so that they can do no more, but are oblidged
to take laws from the conqueror, wil it be treason to comply
wt the ennemy for life and liberty, and when he is chosen
by the country to go and sit in the conquerors judicatories
(which priveledge ex gratia he grants them), to sie the affairs
of the Kingdom regulate, and sie to what wil be best for the
good of the country. They persuade themselfes that all wil
say this is no treason. Then subsume they, but such was
Argiles compliance; ergo, for treasonable compliance he could
not be put to death because not guilty of it.
Then ye have a vindication of Mr. James Guthry,1 execute
1 of June 1661, from the crimes layd to his charge wheirupon
his sentence was founded. They say the crime was that some
10 years before, being challenged by the King for somthing
spok over the pulpit, he declined his cognizance as a incom¬
petent judge in ecclesiastical spiritual matters, which de-
clinaturs be a act of Parliament, anno 1584, are discharged
under the pain of hy treason ; but this they contend was
afterwards abrogated, so that they conclud him to have died
a martyr for the truth against Erastian abomination.
In the 6 section ye have the zeal of that minister, who upon
the Parliaments casting of the Covenant, pulling out a six
pence, took instruments in the hands of the peaple and pro¬
tested against all courses or acts in preiudice of the Covenant,
for which he was banished. None of the banisht ministers
could ever obtain a extrait of their sentence, which is a thing
no judicatory ever refused. Nixt, because they could not
banish them furder then from Scotland, they forged a bond
to which they compelled the ministers to subscryve, wheirin
they promised not to be found wtin any of his maiesties
dominions under the pain of death ; which they call cruel and
unreasonable.
Voetius they commend and cite often. Sharpe they call a
betrayer of his bretheren, and a most unnatural sone of his
mother church. Then the reasons whence they refuse to go
1 Covenanting minister (? 1612-1661).