to whom he referred it, who were most murderers
in his sight, him or them. Bishop Paterson's brother, in conference,
told him, That the whole council found that he was a man of great parts,
and also of good birth. He said, That for his birth, he was related to
the best of the kingdom, which he thought little of, and as for his
parts, they were very small; yet he trusted so much to the goodness of
that cause for which he was a prisoner, that if they would give God that
justice, as to let his cause be disputed, he doubted not to plead it
against all that speak against it.

Upon the 27, he was taken before the justiciary, where he declined the
king's authority as an usurper of the prerogative of the Son of God,
whereby he had involved the land in idolatry, perjury and other
wickedness; and declined them as exercising under him the supreme power
over the church, usurped from Jesus Christ, &c. and therefore durst
not, with his own consent, sustain them as competent judges; but
declined them as open and stated enemies to the living God, and
competitors for his throne and power, belonging to him only.

On the 29, he was brought to his trial, where the council, in a most
unprecedented manner, appointed the manner of his execution; for they
well knew his judges would find him guilty. And upon Friday the 30th,
being brought again before them, they asked, If he had any more to
say.----He answered, What I have said I will seal. Then they told him,
They had something to say to him; and commanded him to sit down and
receive his sentence, which he did, but told them, They were all
murderers; for all the power they had was derived from tyranny; and that
these years bygone they had not only tyrannized over the church of God,
but also grinded the faces of the poor, so that oppression, perjury and
bloodshed were to be found in their skirts.

Upon this, he was carried from the bar on a hurdle drawn backwards, unto
the place of execution at the cross of Edinburgh. None were suffered to
be with him but two bailies, the executioner and his servants. He was
permitted to pray to God Almighty but not to speak to the people. Being
come upon the scaffold, his right hand was struck off, and a little
after his left; which he endured with great firmness and constancy. The
hangman being long in cutting off the right hand, he desired him to
strike in the joint of the left, which being done, he was drawn up to
the top of the gallows with a pully, and