Series 5 > Religious Controversy in Scotland 1625-1639

JOHN GUTHRIE, BISHOP OF MORAY,‘LIFE’
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[11] task, such as would not be entered without great hazard, and not within few
years. But by God’s goodness and our sovereign Lord’s favour, giving chairge to
prosecute the laws against them, with special! comission to the then Lord Gordon,
now marquess of Hundie, to execute the same, they were for the most pairt
brought to conformity. Some had oversight of his majesty, not without good
and weighty considerations, and promising that their domesticks should keep
order, which was done indeed. By this means I am able to give accounts that
comparing the rolls of avowed papists at my entery in this diocie, with the rolls as
they were at that time when those woefull ruptures entered in the kirk and
kingdome, one of six should be found, and those pursued by the laws of the
kingdome. As few as I could excommunicate, put to the horn, some of their
houses taken by heraulds upon my expences, and summonds raised with
arrestments upon the escheat-goods of the rebells, and what else could be done
by me. The process of this sort giffen in by me to his majesty’s advocate will
verify this. It is not unknown what pains and art this put me to, in many danger¬
ous journeys toward the south, as the lords of his highness’s most honourable
privy councel will remember. But that was not all. My death was designed by
those malicious papists who both thought and said they would have no rest so
long as I was living, therefore laid for my life [12] oftentimes, putting forth divers
to take it by divers means, as was weel known to the most honourable lords and
sunderys in this countery who had the same from the mouths of them who
were put to that bloody work. Blessed be the Lord who assisted me and
streightened21 me, who also delivered me out of the mouths of the lyons.22That
same Lord (I trust) will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me to his
heavenly kingdome.
My nixt encounter was with symonie, wherein, haveing to do with patrons
accustomed to get and intrants willing to give, it was hard for me to judge which
of the two were most grieved at me—the patrons loath to lose their commodity,
as they esteemit, and the intrants grumbling at the least delay, many those not
carring by what means they enter, if so be they may get a kirk and stypend. I
stood to my mark and, not regairding their thoughts, resolved to make this kirk
free of that plague, which I thank God has taken full effect. Shall I not marvel,
then, that any black-maithd chush23 durst say at Glasgow24 that I had received
moneys or good deed from ministers at their entery, when I had [13] casten that
devil, with much difficulty, out of others, could I harbour him in my own breast?
God forbid. Examine all whom I have admitted to the ministry, or transported,
21 strengthened?
22 allusion to Psalm 22:21.
23 ‘black-mouthed chush’; I have not identified the final word.
24 i.e.,the Glasgow general assembly, 1638. RfCS,27;Mullan, Episcopacy in Scotland, 191-3.