power that any prince on earth hath from God: no disrespect to your Lordship, the Lord High Chancelo dome, nor to the great Lord Treasurer, nor to any of under his Majestie, called to rule over me, nor to any of Judicature, to which, notwithstanding of the grea hazard, I have allwayes, on the first call, as it well come, and on which I have patiently and submissively weeks, and monethes, as your Lordship well knoweth. other reasons, which I hope will not offend your Lord only presume to adde, as to these reverend brethren, of cited with me, that Mr Henry Rymer was not at St A Mr Wood, all the while that I was there. Nather did I ander Wedderburne with him: nather did any of th best knowledge, desire him to writt that testimony. N that your Lordship will pardone this trouble, I am Lord, your Lordship's very humble servant in the Lo MR JOHNE CA

The letter that Mr Wood wrote to Mr Carstaires, t dayes before he went to sie him, mentioned in the prec and which (the very principall) was inclosed to the Ch something in it to this purpose, if not in the same wo

Brother, there is one thing I must add, though it all for me to be dissolved and to be with Christ, co snares and tentations that are comeing: the complya be, the hard lottes they will be put to, that will keep and the sore judgments and plagues that are like to adulterous and perverse generation; yet, if it were th sure of God, I would desire to live a while, that I migh complete testimony to the trueth. But I must check m many polished shafts with him, &c.

No. III.

[Orig. MS. in Bibl. Jurid. Edin. No. LIX. Jac. V. I. 26. art. 52.]

Letter from Mr JOHN CARSTAIRS to Mr ROBERT MACWARD.

Novbr. 30, 1676.

MY REVEREND and Dearest Brother, I CAN now but salute you very kindly, and tell you that I longe much to hear how you are now; I wold fain hope some better, for we can not well want you: Ceasse, Lord; by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small." I beseech you, remitt of your severity to that poor weakened and wasted body. There cometh along in this vessell, directed to Mr Russell, some papers sent from John Cairnes: they are a rare and rich jewel, especially for the poor Church of Scotland, both shaming and allarming us,-Mr CALDERWOOD'S HISTORY, which with some difficulty and importunity two-three of us have at last obtained. The copy is taken from his own manuscript*, being the third and last cura, and faithfully collationed with it: it is very fairly wreaten, which 4 of us have payed for. You will, I am sure, read it with much both satisfaction and sorrow, and it will be acceptable beyond much gold. Mr Weily had dealt earnestly for it with the person in whose custody it was; and I did put Mr Wyly to ride again to him, with my assurance that it should be both secretly aud faithfully disposed of; and wrote after, but then obtained nothinge; but have since, in good

*This MS., containing corrections on the margin in Mr Calderwood's hand-writing, is still preserved, and is in the possession of James Douglas, Esq. of Cavers. From that family, distinguished by its adherence to Presbytery, Mr Carstairs most probably obtained the use of it at that time. Mr Thomas Wyllie, (the person referred to in this letter,) was minister first at Borg, and afterwards at Mauchlin, from which he was removed to Kirkcudbright, some time before the Restoration. On the 29th of October, 1667, he was permitted to return, from his confinement, to the south of the Forth, Edinburgh excepted. (Wodrow, i. passim.) He afterwards accepted of an indulgence to the parish of Fenwick, on a call from the people, and died the "twentie day of July, 1676.” (Decr. Sec. Concil. 16 Jan. 1677.) His son, Mr Robert Wyllie, who was tutor to the family of Cavers, and became minister of Hamilton after the Revolution, was much esteemed for his talents and learning.

Let it even be hastened with all convenient diligence, very seasoun for such a books coming out. Respect t who speaks most savourily all alonge of our honest great men, to the golden work, and to the Church of S I hope, persuade yourselfe and Mr Brown to corre sheets, and I think worthy Wallace may herein be he is of no particular man's concern, but a treasure of Title and preface may be thought of time eneugh; a providence, I just now think, that it hath no title, s the printers will ever hear of the author's name till i It wold be done in such a letter as may sute the work, overcharge poor John with vast expence. I have no acquaint you with. You have heard, its like, of Mrs I young Mrs Guthrie's banishment from Edinburgh, preaching and prayer against the law. There is no a our severity. Its like, this day there will be a great cla councell, on occasion of a south country conventikle th bath, or Sabbath was eight dayes, by which a party of to dissolve them, was darred and menassed away, being and assured, if they offered violence to any there, no should goe off the place; and so they left them. I dea ber your friend and John-let me know how she is. I salute Mr Russell, his mother-in-law, and his wife, Col sweet Mrs Hoshepied, of whose recovery I longe to hear, and great Mr Broun; thank him kindly, in my name, f John Carnes waits, and I must stop here. Grace, gra you, and your bow abide in strength. I am, my deare your etca.

I remember our own Margaret.

For Mr Macquard, Minister of the Gospel, now at these.

No. IV.

[Orig. MS. in Bibl. Jurid. Edin. No. LIX. Jac. V. 1. 26.

art. 57.]

From the SAME to the SAME.

Edr, March 8th, 1677.

MY DEAREST BROTHER,

cessor,

My goutish distemper still somewhat continouing, I can only kindly salute you, and tell you, that I have, since my last to you, (which, I hear, is by the east winde driven, in providence, hither again,) received Mr Wallace his return to yours and mine, both which I herewith transmitt to you. Its like it will not doe. I wish, as he seems to resolve, he may hasten over at least: Pray, hasten him word of your friend's dyet. I thought it not fit, on the account you gave me of the establishing that salary for a sucto wreat to him again, judging the motive somewhat mercenary, as it's like he wold; but I judge that condescension a very signall signification of respect to you, and the procurement of it worthy a man's life: The fruit, the fruit of it may speak and blesse the Lord on your behalfe when you are dead. Your crosse is so richly inambled and indented with memorable mercies, that scarce one bitt of that crabbed tree appears. Let your heart tremble and be enlarged because of all this goodnesse of God. I sent you, a quarter of a year agoe, in James Cassell's ship, what I judged a jewell, as you will also think, thoughe I understand he is but very lately gone, being detained by the frost. It is now more than ever a jewell, even as a brand snatched out of the burning of the monuments of the poor Church of Scotland. Our church registers being all taken out of a house here in Edinburgh this last week, by some one or other unhappy person's information, who had seen Mr Robert Car his papers after his death.* I fear the work shall not be

A document, which will be inserted as No. XIV. in this Appendix, throws light on the way in which the Registers here referred to probably came into the possession of Mr Robert Car, or Ker.

There can be no doubt that these Registers contained the Minutes of

No. V.

[Orig. MS. in Bibl. Jurid. Edin. No. LIX. art. 109.]

MY DEAREST, AND OF ALL MEN, MOST OBLIDGING FRIEND AND BROTHER,

I TAKE this occasion to salute you much in the you are dear, and in whose heart you have much ro you, that remembring your premptory assertion, th no thinge that way, poor insignificant and very ign fittest, you know of many, have constrained my se

the General Assembly from the Reformation down, at 1 1590; and what is here stated may serve to correct the seizure given by Bishop Keith. (Hist. p. 497, Note.) in consequence of information, and not by accident; and was not admitted a member of the Privy Council unt 1678, nor translated to the See of Edinburgh until (Fount. Dec. i. 17. Keith's Cat. 168.) The Registers after the Revolution, by Dr Archibald Campbell, a cade Argyle, and non-jurant bishop, who gave them to the cler of London, with whom, it is understood, they still remai are the only record of the acts and laws of the Church of one of the most important periods of her history, yet, to neral Assembly either has not demanded, or has been una most undoubted property!