Series 1 > Journal of the Hon. John Erskine of Carnock, 1683-1687

34
JOURNAL OF THE HON.
[FEB.
was much debautcht talk amongst them; I was somewhat
vexed that I did not sharply challenge them for the one and
reprove them for the other. I was at night in Sir Patrick
Hume of Polwart’s lodging.
5th.—This day my Lady, my brother Will., and George
Preston, a Holland’s ensign, came to town from Torrie. My
brother William and I were seeing our eldest brother.
6th.—Being [with] George Preston and brother William in
Hunters, at the sign of the Earl of Wintons arms, and speak¬
ing of Papists, Hunter the landlord said when he was a con¬
stable in the Canongate, the year 1679, in his quarter, which
contained all the south side of the Cannongate beneath St.
John’s Cross, there were four hundred papists and upwards,
counting the children of those who had families, which were
but few. I seriously enquiring, he affirmed it to be a truth;
he said there would have hundreds come out of my Lady
Arralls from the mass, but none durst challenge them.
Its a strange thing to hear men (as some have said when I
was in company) of no religion, I may say, yea, known to be of
loose and profane lives, say the Presbyterians were men of the
best lives, and that they got most good of their preaching and
prayers.
I went up to one Captain Midleton’s chamber with George
Preston and my brother William, but he, being somewhat
drunk, curst and swore, so that I presently left them. I was
sorry that it happened to me to be in company where I took
not freedom to reprove sin; but, alas! few have courage in a
good cause, and are valiant for the truth. I was seeing Mr.
Thomas Hogg in prison.
Ith.—This forenoon I was within the advocates’ barr and
hearing debates before the Lords of Session, I was at night
with John Ballenden, keeper of the advocates’ barr, Preston of
that Ilk, and his brother Alexander, and Mr. Mathew Fleming,
once minister in Culross. John Ballenden, drinking with some
company before he came to us, was become too noisy, and took
a liberty of swearing, tho he was reproved.
8th.—I dined with my brother, and was a while at night
with Boquhan, he being to go out of town to-morrow. I was
with Mr. John Law.