seize
Sir James Stuart provost of Edinburgh, Sir Archibald Johnston of
Warriston, and Sir John Chiesly of Carswel. The first and last were
tried, but lord Warriston escaped for a time, and therefore was
summoned, by sound of trumpet, to surrender himself, and a proclamation
issued out for seizing him, promising an hundred pounds Scots to any who
should do it, and discharging all from concealing or harbouring him
under pain of treason. A most arbitrary step indeed! For here is not
only a reward offered for apprehending this worthy gentleman, but
declaring it treason for any to harbour him, and that without any cause
assigned.

Upon the 10th of October following, he was, by order of the council,
declared fugitive; and next year Feb. 1st, the indictment against lord
Warriston, William Dundas, and John Hume, was read in the house, none of
them being present. Warriston was forfeited, and his forfeiture publicly
proclaimed, by the heralds, at the cross of Edinburgh. The principal
articles of his indictment were, his pleading against Newton Gordon,
when he had the king's express orders to plead for him; His assisting to
the act of the west kirk, &c.; His drawing out, contriving or
consenting to the paper called the western remonstrance, and the book
called the causes of the Lord's wrath; his sitting in parliament as a
peer in England, contrary to his oath, &c.; His accepting the office
of clerk-register from the usurper;----and being president of the
committee of safety, when Richard was laid aside, &c. But neither of
all these were the proper causes of this good man's sufferings, but a
personal prejudice or pique was at the bottom of all these bitter
proceedings; for the godly freedom he took in reproving vice, was what
could never be forgotten nor forgiven. The last-cited historian hints,
that the earl of Bristol was interceeding for him, and says, "I have an
account of this holy freedom in lord Warriston, used from a reverend
minister, who was his chaplain at that time, and took freedom to advise
my lord not to adventure on it; yet this excellent person, having the
glory of God and the honour of religion more in his eyes than his own
safety, went on in his designed reproof, and would not for a compliment,
quit the peace he expected in his own conscience, be the event what it
would, by disburthening himself; he got a great many fair words, and all
was pretended to be taken well from my lord register; but, as he was
told by