med for his skill in playing a spring called Coffee.
However, the wind of the bag procured James a handsome education, after
which he obtained a regent's post in the university of St. Andrew's. To
relate every thing in the black and dismal story of his life would fill
a volume. I shall only point at the principal lineaments thereof. While
regent, he furiously beat one of his colleagues honest Mr. Sinclair on
the Lord's day at the college table. He took up his lodging in a public
inn, and there got the hostler one Isabel Lindsay with child. When she
came to be delivered, he prevailed with her, upon promise of marriage,
to consent to murder the infant, which he himself effected with his
handkerchief, and then buried it below the hearth stone. When the woman,
after he was bishop, stood up once and again before the people, and
confronted him with this, he ordered her tongue to be pulled out with
pincers, and when not obeyed, caused her to be put in the branks and
afterwards banished with her husband over the water. For this and the
striking of Mr. Sinclair he pretended a great deal of repentance and
exercise of conscience, and being one eloquent of tongue, he soon
deceived the ministry, and was by them advanced to be minister at Crail
and then to make sure, he took the covenants a second time. In Cromwel's
time, he took the tender, and became a thorough paced Cromwelian. When
the time of his advancement approached at the restoration, being one of
a zealous profession, his brethren sent him (as one whom they could
confide in) over to Charles II. at Breda, that they might have the
Presbyterian form of church-government continued. In the mean time, he
in their name supplicated him to have episcopacy restored, because he
saw it would please the malignant faction. After the king's arrival, he
was again employed in the same errand, and, while at London undermining
that noble constitution, he made his brethren believe all the while by
letters, how much he had done for their cause, till he got it wholly
overturned; and then, like another Judas, he returned, and for his
reward obtained the arch bishoprick of St. Andrew's, and according to
some 50,000 merks a year, and counsellor and primate of Scotland. No
sooner was the wicked Haman advanced, than he began to persecute and
harrass all who would not comply with his measures. He perjured himself
in Mr Mitchel's case, had an active hand in all the bloodshed on
scaffolds and fields from