An historical relation of the late General Assembly held at Edinburgh from Octob. 16, to Nov. 13 in the year 1690 in a letter from a person in Edinburgh to his friend in London.

INFORMATION FOR THE Heritors, Elders. &c. OF THE PARISH of PEEBLES; Against M^R. WILLIAM VEATCH.

THE late Mr. John Hay Minister of the Gospel at Peebles, be∣ing by Bodily Pain and Sick∣ness utterly disabled for the publick Exercise of his Ministry, and ap∣prehending the time of his Departure to be approaching; Out of a deep concern for his Flock, after the Example of good and faithful Pastors in all Ages, resolved to look out for a Successor; And for that effect, wrote to the Duke of Queensbery, (then undoubted Patron of the Parish of Peebles) to nominate some Able and God∣ly Minister, who might assist him as a Helper during his Life, and to whom he might recommend and leave his Charge at his Death. His Grace being well sa∣tisfied with so Pious a desire, remits the choice to himself, whereupon he calls and invites Mr. Robert Knocks, one of the Ministers of the City of Glasgow, who ha∣ving accepted the Call, and to the great Comfort of the Pastor and People, served the Cure for sometime: The sick Man had his peaceable Exit in the Lord, sola∣cing himself in this; That he had not left his Flock as Sheep without a Shepherd; Im∣mediately after whose Decease, the Heri∣tors, Elders, and Parochioners, did apply themselves to the Duke's Factor, to Peti∣tion the Duke then at London, and to ac∣quaint him, that they Unanimously desi∣red Mr. Robert Knocks to be their Mini∣ster, in place of the deceast Mr. John Hay, which accordingly the Duke agreed to, and ordered Mr. Knox to continue in the Exercise of his Ministry there. And there∣after upon the 17th of November 1689, being the Lord's Day after Sermons, the Session being sitting, and the Duke's Let∣ter read unto them, the whole Heritors, Elders, and Parochioners then present, did Unanimously and Cheerfully receive the said Letter and Nomination, and promi∣sed to Mr. Knox all the Encouragement that could be expected from a Dutiful People; And the Session did order the Lairds of Haystoun, and Halkshaw, William Plenderleith, John Hope, and John Gevan, late Provosts of Peebles, to wait upon the Duke at his Return, and give him Thanks in all their Names for his care of them. After which time Mr. Knox ha∣ving all the right to be Minister at Peebles, which the state of the Church could then admit of, viz. Designation and Appoint∣ment of the Patron, with the Consent and Concurrence of the Heritors, Elders,

and by far the greatest and most substan∣tial part of the People, and wanting only the formality of an Induction or Institu∣tion, in regard there was no Legal Eccle∣siastical Judicatory then in being to con∣fer it on him, continued in the free and peaceable Exercise of his Ministry, until the sixteenth of February 1690, when some violent Interruption being offered unto him by a Company of Unruly Peo∣ple, as he was coming to the Church on the Lord's Day in the Morning; the He∣ritors, Elders and People as aforesaid, were so much concerned, that by an ex∣press Obligation subscribed under their Hands, they declare their Resolution to adhere to the said Mr. Knoks as their Mi∣nister; And Commissioned some of their Number to pursue that high Riot, before the Most Honourable Lords of their Ma∣jesties Privy Council; Upon whose Com∣plaint and Application, the Lords of Council finding Mr. Knox to have good Right to serve the Cure at the Church of Peebles, did justly punish the Author of the Tumult, and oblige the Magistrates of Peebles, to take such care of the Peace, that there might be no Interruption of∣fered to him for the Future, and there∣after he enjoyed his Ministry comfor∣tably and peaceably, until the Presbytery having as would seem by all their poste∣rior Acts, resolved to Thrust him out, and obtrude another on the Parish, did by their Act of the 24th of July last at Kir∣kurd, without ever examining his Right and Title, or giving him any Citation, Proceeding upon a false Supposition, as if he had possest himself wrongously of the Church, required him to forbear Preaching, till he should be allowed by them. The Extract of which Act, being delivered to him by the present Provost of Peebles most unseasonably upon the Lord's Day thereafter, just as he was go∣ing to the Pulpit; he taking it as the Act plainly bears, to be only a Tempo∣rary restraint, till such time as he should apply himself to the Presbytery for their Allowance, did patiently and pleasantly obey it, taking his seat among the Au∣ditors, while the Provost fetcht a Mini∣ster from the Meeting-House to Preach in the Church, who after Sermons by an Order (as he said) from the Presbytery, surprized the Parish, by declaring the Church to be vacant, for the supply of which pretended Vacancy, the said Pres∣bytery sent Mr. Robert Eliot one of their own Number, upon the 24th of August being the Lord's Day, to Preach and hold a Meeting for the calling of one Mr. Wil∣liam Veatch; Which Meeting being called after Sermons, the Heritors, either by themselves, or their Proxies, together with all the ordinary Elders of the Pa∣rish, and the generality of the whole People, Compeered and Protested against the calling of Mr. Veatch, appealing from the Presbytery to the next Provincial, or General Assembly that should happen to be, promising to give in the double of their Protestation and Appeal, with the Reasons thereof to the Presbytery the first Day of their Meeting; whereupon they took Instruments. The said Mr. Robert Elliot in a strange and unbecoming Heat and Transport, insolently presuming to take Instruments against them in the Name of Jesus Christ, and without any regard to their Protestation, he with his Associates proceeded to Nominate so many pretended Commissioners, to go the next day with Mr. William Russel who was sent by the Presbytery, and in the Name of the Parish of Peebles, to offer a pretended Call to the said Mr. Veatch, a∣mong which Commissioners the notori∣ous Villain Beatty, who occasioned the former Tumult, was one, who for his hor∣rid Prophanation of the Lord's Day, and villanous Attempt thereupon against Mr. Knox, had been lately and deservedly punished by the Privy Council, to which Call, albeit only signed by Cardronno, who has but small Interest in the Parish, and two or three mean Heritors who have but two Aikers of Ground a piece almost, Mr. Veatch cordially imbracing, came and presented it to the Presbytery of Peebles, at and within the Chappel thereof upon the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 day of September following; The

which day and place, the Heritors &c. by themselves and their Proxies, com∣peared and gave in their Protestation and Appeal in Writing, with the most grave and weighty reasons thereof, viz. That the Church could not be reputed vacant, Mr. Knox who had beside Possession, a good Right and Title thereto, and to whom they were firmly resolved to adhere, not being either Deposed, or Deprived, but only Inhibited for a time, by the Act of the Presbytery, and his Right not exa∣mined, and discussed either by the Pres∣bytery, or any other competent Judicatory; And suppose the Church had been vacant, as it was not; Yet the said pretended Call of Mr. Veatches was ipso facto void and null, in regard of several essential Defects and Informalities of it, such as the Call had not been made in a Regular way by a publick meeting of Heritors, Elders, and Town Council, but by pri∣vate subscriptions, which the Magistrates of Peebles by menaces and promises had secretly collected from a multitude of Persons legally uncapable of any vote in the Election; Some of them having no interest at all in the Parish. That there were none of the Elders consenting there∣unto, and of a multitude of considerable Heritors in the Parish, only two or three petty and obscure ones consented. All which reasons are more fully exprest in the Appeal, whereupon they took Instru∣ments, but the whole Presbytery (except an Old Grave Man who dissented all a∣long) taking no notice thereof, nor to vouchsafe in the least any Answer there∣to, accepted of and sustained the afore∣said pretended Call, exhibited unto them in favours of Mr. Veatch, Ordering an Edict to be serv'd for him the next Lord's Day; which Edict being returned to the Presbytery, upon the 17th of Sep∣tember, and called at the Chappel door, compeared again the Heritors, El∣ders, &c. and Declared their Adherence to their former Protestation and Appeal, with the whole Reasons thereof, and subjoyning some more pregnant Reasons thereto; viz. That the said Mr. Veatch was a person utterly unknown to them; and that they ought not to be constrained with an implicite Faith, to intrust the care of their Souls to a Man of whom they had no competent knowledge; Yea, that he was a Stranger to the Presbytery it self, and that they had never been at the pains to hear him Preach; that they might judge of his Qualifications for so eminent a place; that the little Tryal the Parish had of him in two or three Sermons, they were in their private Judgement of Discretion not well pleased with his way of Preaching, for several Grave and Weighty Exceptions which they had ready to produce. That for the prospect of a more lucrative place, he had by in∣direct methods got himself loosed from other Calls, that he might force himself in upon the Parish of Peebles. And finally, that the Presbytery had in many instances behaved themselves very partially in this whole Affair, for all which Reasons more amply enlarged by them at that time, and contained in their Instruments; They did de novo Protest and Appeal against a∣ny further Procedure of the Presbytery upon the said Edict, giving in a Copy of this their new Appeal, with the Reasons of it, and taking Instruments thereupon, in contempt of which repeated Appeals, with the most irrefragable Reasons there∣of; the Presbytery having determined before hand to institute Mr. Veatch; and for that effect ingaged Mr. Robert Elliot to Preach at his Institution, proceeded the very next day, being the 18th of September, actually to Institute him, in most Illegal and Disorderly way, contra∣ry to an express Act of the General As∣sembly, holden at Glasgow, December 17. 1638. Whereby it is expresly provided, That no person be obtruded into any Office in the Kirk, contrary to the will of the Congre∣gation. At which pretended Institution, there were none of the Heritors of any worth, or esteem, nor of the standing Eldership of the Parish, (and excepting the present Magistrates,) none of the substantial Parishioners; Yea, in propor∣tion of the Body of the Parish, few at all

to Accept of or Imbrace him; in so much that it's informed, Mr. Elliot publickly expressed his grief, That there were so few honest Men in the Parish to receive their Pastor.

In Respect of all which, and that the Heritors consenting to Mr. Veatch his Call, are but very few, and against seve∣rals of whom there are Competent and Relevant Exceptions; viz. That some of them are not Heritors, and others by promise of case of their Stipends, and some by Threatnings if they did not con∣sent; And that the Heritors who have protested against the said Call, are not only the most considerable Heritors, and have the most considerable Interest in the Parish, but are double the number of the other, beside the whole Eldership. It is therefore hoped, That his Grace, His Majestie's High Commissioner to the As∣sembly, the Right Reverend Moderator, and the Reverend Brethren of the Gene∣ral Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland now sitting, May Examine, and take into their Grave and Godly Consideration, the whole Progress of this Affair, together with the Parishes Protestations and Ap∣peals, which they Humbly Crave may be publickly Read, hoping by their Pious Wisdom, to have their Lawful Pastor restored unto them; And in Order thereunto, to be relieved of such an Il∣legal Intruder, who upon many Accounts has rendered himself unfit to be conti∣nued in such a Charge, particularly, be∣cause being conscious to himself of the weakness and Insufficiency of his Call, partly by his own Solicitations, partly by other undirect Motions, he did in∣fluence some few Heritors of Note, to sign it after an Edict had been served thereupon; Again to shake himself Loose from the Calls, which were Referred to the Synod of Kelso, he had prevailed with some of his Friends, to Represent his Call to Peebles, as the effect of an im∣mediate and Extraordinary Providence, which they did so flourish out in the se∣veral Circumstances, that it might ap∣pear equivalent to a voic•• from Heaven, which he ought not to disobey. Where∣as it can be evinc'd, by clear Evidences, That it was a Draught and Design of Men, carried on underhand for a considerable time. And it is left to the Assembly to judge what a gross Hypocrisie and Abuse of the Sacred Name of Providence, it is to pretend an immediate hand of God, to the Cobweb-Plots and Contrivances of sinful Men; Sure, for as well as this Providence was painted forth to gain this point be∣fore the Synod, there were some of that Meeting, who could see thorow the va∣nity of that Pretence; And in special, one Grave and Wise Member, could not let it pass without a tart Reflection on it; Siklike, upon the day of his Admission, he was not afraid publickly to take God to witness, that no prospect of a great Benefice had induced him to come to Peebles, whereas it transcends the com∣prehensions of the most vast and exten∣sive Charity, to fancy what other motive could prevail with him, to reject Calls of People that were Zealous and Unanimous for him; and thrust himself in upon a Parish who desired him not, and can ex∣pect no Spiritual Comfort from his Mini∣stry. And finally, He has since that time imposed conditions of admitting Chil∣dren to Baptism in that Parish, which neither the Law of the Land, nor the late General Meeting of this Church has warranted him to do; whereupon seve∣ral Persons were necessitate to take their Children to be Baptised by others, and some have taken Instruments against him. And not a few Infants have been in appa∣rent Danger of Dying without Bap∣tism, to the great grief of their Pa∣rents; Among whom were weak Twins belonging to one of the late Magistrates. All which can clearly be proved against him, together with several other Articles which they have to produce, and can prove, competent time being allowed un∣to them for the Citation of Witnesses, but which they have hitherto forborn to make use of, out of tenderness to his Cha∣racter, and will always forbear till they be constrained to take this last Remedy.

This is the exact Copy of the Information and Petition given in by Mr. Heriot, Minister of Dalkeith, in Print, to the Privy Council at Edenburgh.