The spirit of the martyrs revived in a brief compendious collection of the most remarkable passages and living testimonies of the true church, seed of God, and faithful martyrs in all ages: contained in several ecclesiastical histories & chronological accounts of the succession of the true church from the creation, the times of the fathers, patriarchs, prophets, Christ and the Apostles.

Persecuted in Scotland.

In the year 1534. the Arch-Bishop of Andrews convented before him David Stratton and one Norman Gourlay, the first of these having a Fisher-boat that went to Sea, the Bishop of Murray demanded Tythe-Fish of him; to whom he answered, That if they would have Tythe of that which his Servants caught in the Sea, they should take it in the Place, where it was caught, and so caused his Servants to throw the tenth Fish into the Sea again. All this while he had nothing in

him for Religion; But when hereupon he was summoned to answer for Heresie, it troubled him exceedingly, and then he began to fre∣quent the company of such as were godly, and here appeared a Wonderful change in him; so that, whereas before he despised the Scriptures, now all his delight was in hearing them read to him; and he became a vehement Exhorter of all men to peace and concord, and contempt of the World; he much frequented the company of the Laird of Dun Ariskin, whom God in these dayes had marvelously illuminated, and hearing that Text read (for he could not read him∣self) He that denyeth me before men, or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked Generation, I will deny him before my Father and holy Angels; at those words, being suddenly as one revived, he fell upon his Knees, and stedfastly lifting up his Eyes and Hands, at length he burst out into these words, O Lord I have been wicked, and justly mayst thou with∣draw thy Grace from me; But, Lord, for thy Mercies sake, let me never deny thee nor thy Truth, for fear of Death or any Corporal Pain. soon after Norman and he were brought to Judgment to Holy Rood house, the King himself being present, much means was used to draw this David Stratton to make a Recantation; but he persevered in his constan∣cy, still denying that he had offended, and so they were both condem∣ned to the Fire, and after dinner they were both first hanged and then burnt.

Not long after the burning of these two, there was one Thomas Forret a Dean, who used to preach every first day to his Parishoners the Epistles and Gospels, this was counted a great Novelty in those time; for none used to preach but the Fryers, and therefore they envying him, accused him to the Bishop of Dunkelden for an Heretick, and one that re rad the Mysteries of Scriptures to the vulgar People, the Bi∣shop instigated by the complaint of the Fryers called the said Thomas Forret before him, to whom he said, My joy, Dean Thomas, I love you well, and therefore I must give you Council how to govern your self; The Dean thanked him, and then he proceeded, My joy, Dean Thomas, I am informed that you preach the Epistles and Gospels every Sunday to your People, and that you take not your Dues from them, which is very prejudi∣cial to the Church-men, and that therefore my joy, Dean Thomas, I would have you to take your Dues, or else its too much to preach every Sunday; for by so doing you make the People think, that we should do so also.

Thomas answered, My Lord, I presume none of my Parishoners complain for my not taking my Dues, and whereas you say, its too much to preach every Sunday; I think it is too little; and wish that your Lordship would do the like.

Nay, nay, Dean Thomas, said the Bishop, let that be, for we are not ordained to preach; and Dean Thomas, go your wayes, and let all these Fancies be; for if you persist herein, you will repent you, when it is too late.

I trust, said the Dean, my cause is good and just in the presence of God, and therefore I care not what follows thereupon; and so went away, but shortly after he was summoned to appear before the Car∣dinal,

by whom he was condemned and burned for a chief Heretick, and Teacher of Heresie.

But, notwithstanding their bloody Tyranny, the Knowledge of God did Wonderfully encrease in this Country, partly by reading, and partly by brotherly Conference, which in those dangerous dayes were much used, to the Comfort of many, which so enraged the Popish Party, that in the year 1538. there were burned in one Fire four Persons.

The year after Jeremy Russel and Alexander Kenedy were appre∣hended and brought before the Bishop, the said Jeremy being a man of a meek and quiet Nature; Alexander was a young man about eight∣teen years old, Alexander at first was faint, and would fain have re∣canted, but when all place of Repentance was denyed him, the Spirit of God began to refresh him, yea, the inward Comfort began to burst forth as well in his Vissage as in his words, and he cryed in prayer to God, Oh Eternall God, how Wounderful is thy Love and Mercy, who hast made me to feel Heavenly Comfort, which takest, from me that ungodly fear, which before I was oppressed with; now I defie death; do with me what you please; I praise God I am ready. Then did they rail upon him and Jeremy, who also said unto them, This is your hour and power of darkness: Now sit ye as Judges, and we stand wrongfully Accused, and more wrongfully to be Condemned; but the day will come when our Innocency will appear, and ye shall see your own blindness to your Everlasting Confusion: Go forward, & fulfill the measure of your Iniquity. Shortly aft'r th'y were Condem∣ned to die, & as they went to Execution Jeremy comforted Alexander, saying to him, Brother, fear not, greater is he that that is in us, then he that is in the World; the pain that we are to suffer is short, and shall be light, but our Joy and Consolation shall never have end: Let us therefore strive to enter into our Master and Saviours Joy by the same Strait Way which he hath taken before us; Death cannot hurt us, for it is already destroyed by him, for whose Sake we now Suf∣fer. And thus they constantly continued stedfast in the Flaming Fire till they finished their Course by Death.

In the year 1543. George Wiseheart a man of a Courteous, Modest and Temperate Behaviour, fearing God and hating Covetousness, very charitable and moderate in his Apparel and Diet, and for his Innocency was a man well beloved; he was accused on several Ar∣ticles by the Bishops, and afterwards Condemned by them as an He∣retick to be burnt; when he came to the fire he said, Father of Hea∣ven, I commend my Spirit into thy holy Hands; and then turned him to the People, and said these Words, I beseech you Christian Brethren and Sisters, that you be not offended in the Word of God for the affli∣ction and Torments which you see already prepared for me; but I Exhort you, that you Love the Word of God, and suffer patiently, and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake, which is your un∣doubted Salvation and Everlasting Comfort.

Moreover I pray you, shew my Brethren and Sisters, which have heard me oft before, that they cease not, nor l••••ve off the Word of

God which I taught unto them, after the Grace given to me, for any Persecutions or Troubles in this World, which lasts not; and shew unto them, that my Doctrine was no Old Wives Fable, after the Con∣stitution made by men; and if I had taught mens Doctrine, I had gotten great thanks of men, but for the Word and true Gospels sake I suffer this day by men, not sorowfully, but with a glad Heart and Mind; for this cause I was sent, that I should Suffer this Fire for Christs Sake, this grim Fire I fear not, and so I pray you to do, if that any Persecution come unto you for the Word's sake; and fear not them that Kill the Body, and afterwards have no power to Kill the Soul.

Then he prayed for them which accused him, saying, I beseech thee, Father of Heaven, to forgive them that have through Ignor∣ance, or an evil Mind, forged Lyes against me; I forgive them with all my heart, and I beseech Christ to forgive them who have Condemned me to death this day ignorantly. So being first Hanged, he was then burnt, many People bewailing his death.

VVabter Mille, amongst the rest of the Martyrs of Scotland, his Con∣stancy is not to be past over with silence, out of whose Ashes Sprung thousands of his Religion in Scotland; many Articles were drawn up against him, for which he had sentance pronounced against him, that he should be delivered to the Temporal Judge, and punisht as an Heretick, which was to be burnt.

Now when all things were ready for his death, and he conveyed with Armed men to the Fire, Andrew Olifant Judge, that past sentence upon him, bad him Go to the Stake; he said, Nay, except thou pull me up with thy hand, for I am forbidden by the Law of God, to lay hands of my self: then Olifant put him up with his hand, thereupon he went glad∣ly, saying, I will go to the Altar of God, and desired that he might have time to speak to the People, which his Executioner denyed, saying, That he had spoken over-much, and that the Bishops were o••fended that the matter was so long continued, but some young men that stood by de∣sired him to speak what he please; so, after he had prayed, he rose up, and standing upon the Coles, said on this wise.

Dear Friends, the Cause why I suffer this day, is not for any Crime laid to my Charge, but only for the defence of the Faith of Christ Jesus, for which, as the faithful Martyrs have heretofore gladly offered themselves, being assured, after the Death of their Bodies, of Eternal Felicity; so this day I praise God, that he hath called me of his Mercy, among the rest of his Ser∣vants, to seal his Truth with my Life; which as I received it of him, so willingly I offer it to his Glory: Therefore as you will escape the eternal death, be no more seduced by the Lyes of Priests, Monks and Bishops, and the rest of the Sect of Antichrist, but depend only upon Jesus Christ, and his Mercy, that you may be delivered from Condemnation.

All that while there was great Mourning and Lamentation of the multitude, for they perceiving his Patience, Stoutness, Boldness, and Constancy, were not only moved and stirred up, but their hearts also were so inflamed, that he was the last Martyr that died in Scot∣land for Religion; after his prayer he was hoised up on the Stake, and

being in the Fire, he said, Lord have Mercy on me; pray People while there is time, and so be constantly departed.