e in the cold winter season.--From Aberdeen he was
brought south to Stirling castle, where he continued some years; and
then was, a second time, returned to Dumbarton, where he continued till
October 1677. Then the council confined him to Irvine, and allowed him
some time to transport himself and his family, then at Glasgow, into
that place.

Coming to his family at Glasgow, he was visited by many friends and
acquaintance: and the same night, convoying the Lady Caldwall and her
daughter, he was taken by some of the guards, and kept in the guard
house till next day; when the commanding officer would have dismissed
him, but first he behoved to know the arch-bishop's pleasure, who
immediately ordered him a close prisoner in the tolbooth. The
arch-bishop took horse immediately for Edinburgh: Lady Kersland followed
after, if possible, to prevent misinformation.--In the mean time, a fire
breaking out in Glasgow, the tolbooth being in hazard, and the
magistrates refusing to let out the prisoners, the well affected people
of the town got long ladders and set the prisoners free, and Kersland
amongst the rest, after he had been eight years prisoner. After the
hurry was over, he inclined to have surrendered himself again prisoner;
but hearing from his lady of the arch-bishop's design against him, he
retired and absconded all that winter.[182] In the spring and summer
following, he kept company with the persecuted ministers, and heard the
gospel preached in the fields, and was at communions, particularly that
at Maybole. About the beginning of harvest, 1678, he returned again to
his old retiring place Utrecht, where he continued until the day of his
death.

When near his departure, his dear acquaintance Sir Robert Hamilton being
with him, and signifying to him that he might be spared as another Caleb
to see the good land when the storm was over; to whom, amongst his last
words, he said, "What is man before the Lord? yea, what is a nation? as
the drop of a bucket, or the small dust in the balance: yea, less than
nothing and vanity. But this much I can say in humility, that, through
free grace, I have endeavoured to keep the post that God hath set me at.
These fourteen years I have not desired to lift the one foot till the
Lord shewed me where to set down the other." And so, in a few minutes,
he finished his course with joy and fell asleep in Jesus, Nov. 14. 1680,
leaving his wife and five children in a strange land.

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