kingdom: The
cheat being discovered, the earl of Arran was elected governor, and the
cardinal was committed prisoner to the castle of Dalkeith; he soon found
means to escape from his confinement, and prevailed with the regent to
break all his promises to the party who had elected him into that
office, and to join with him in imbruing his hands in the blood of the
saints. Accordingly, several professors of the town of Perth were
arraigned, condemned, hanged and drowned; others were sent into
banishment, and some were strangled in private. We have departed thus
far from the course of our narrative, to shew the reader, that the
vacancies betwixt the respective lives in this collection, were as much
remarkable for persecution, as the particular instances which are set
before him in the lives themselves.

It was this cardinal who, incensed at Mr. Wishart's success in Dundee,
prevailed with one Robert Mill (formerly a professor of the truth, and
who had been a sufferer on that account, but who was now a man of
considerable influence in that town,) to give Mr Wishart a charge in the
queen and governor's names, to trouble them no more with his preaching
in that place. This commission was executed by Mill one day, in public,
just as Mr Wishart had ended his sermon. Upon hearing it, he kept
silence for a little with his eyes turned towards heaven, and then
casting them on the speaker with a sorrowful countenance, he said, "God
is my witness, that I never minded your trouble, but your comfort; yea,
your trouble is more grievous unto me than it is unto yourselves; but
sure I am, to reject the word of God, and drive away his messengers, is
not the way to save you from trouble, but to bring you into it: When I
am gone, God will send you messengers, who will not be afraid either for
burning or banishment. I have, at the hazard of my life, remained among
you, preaching the word of salvation; and now, since you yourselves
refuse me, I must leave my innocence to be declared by God. If it be
long well with you, I am not led by the Spirit of truth; and if
unexpected trouble come upon you, remember this is the cause, and turn
to God by repentance, for he is merciful." These words being pronounced,
he came down from the pulpit or preaching place. The earl of Marshal and
some other noblemen who were present at the sermon, entreated him
earnestly to go to the north with them, but he excused himself, and took
journey for the west country, wher