new letter from the king's
commissioner, and the commissioners of the general assembly, absolutely
discharged and prohibited, but without naming any day or place, for any
other assembly; and so the series of our assemblies expired, never to
revive again in due form, till the covenant was renewed _anno_ 1638.
However, many of the godly ministers of Scotland, knowing well, if once
the hedge of the government was broken, the corruption of the doctrine
would soon follow, resolved not to quit their assemblies so. And
therefore a number of them convened at Aberdeen, upon the first tuesday
of July 1605, being the last day that was distinctly appointed by
authority; and when they had met, did no more but constitute themselves
and dissolve. Amongst those was Mr. Welch, who, though he had not been
present upon that precise day, yet because he came to the place, and
approved what his brethren had done, he was accused as guilty of the
treasonable fact committed by them. So dangerous a point was the name of
a general assembly in king James's jealous judgment.

Within a month after this meeting, many of these godly men were
incarcerate, some in one prison, some in another. Mr. Welch was sent
first to Edinburgh tolbooth, and then to Blackness; and so from prison
to prison, till he was banished to France, never to see Scotland again.

And now the scene of his life begins to alter; but, before his
sufferings, he had this strange warning.

After the meeting at Aberdeen was over, he retired immediately to Ayr;
and one night he rose from his wife, and went into his garden, as his
custom was, but stayed longer than ordinary, which troubled his wife,
who, when he returned, expostulated with him very hard for his staying
so long to wrong his health; he bid her be quiet, for it should be well
with them. But he knew well, he should never preach more at Ayr; and
accordingly, before the next sabbath, he was carried prisoner to
Blackness castle. After that, he, with many others, who had met at
Aberdeen, were brought before the council of Scotland at Edinburgh, to
answer for their rebellion and contempt, in holding a general assembly,
not authorized by the king. And because they declined the secret
council, as judges competent in causes purely spiritual, such as the
nature and constitution of a general assembly is, they were first
remitted to the prison at Blackness, and other places, and thereafter,
six of the most considerable of them, were bro