his examination; which, if he make use of, I doubt [will] tend not much to the credite of our Presbytery.

Aprile, 1724.-Our Synod met at Air, where we had a very thin meeting, and a neu proof of the necessity of a separation of the Synod of Air from the Synod of Glasgow. We had none from Dumbarton, and I believe there was not above one, and frequently none these many years; four or five from Glasgow, three from Hamilton, as many from Lanerk, and six from Paisley. It's perfect folly to talk of helping this; and as readily there is litle bussines at Air but what Air has, so that Presbytery are evidently master of the vote in every thing wherein they vote, they, with their Elders, being moe than all the rest of the Synod; and yet such is our temper, that we will not alter this evident inconveniency, though it's plainly in our pour to make a secession from them.

In short, we had nothing at all before us of any importance. We spent the first dyet in going over our minutes, and the next dyet in going through the minutes relative to our former minutes; and so lost our time very much. We had some querys to be proposed at Sessionall privy censures, and a recommendation anent family-worship, and some feu other things of no great moment. An advice from Air anent Polwhairn, whither, after contumacy and sitting three summonds, the person should be excommunicat with the lesser sentence? Which caryed I think groundlesly. We wer to have had an appeal anent the setlment of Dundonald by Mr Carnochan, against whom the residenting heretors seem to be, but it was droped. Mr Fork's bussines was remitted to our Presbytery to do in it as we found for edification of the people, and to deal tenderly with Mr Fork.

John Lockheart tells me that his mother-in-lau tells him she was at the Communion of Carsphairn 1648, where some of the Duke of Hamiltoun's army he took with him to England, in consequence of the Engagment, came, and in a very profane manner seized the Communion Elements, and eat them and drunk the wine! That John Sempill, Minister ther,

* Members attending from these various Presbyteries are, of course, alluded to here.

retired to a hill, and stayed some time; and upon his return said to the people, (in a sermon or some publick discourse,) "As the Lord liveth, the Duke shall never return to his native land; and his gazlings* (alluding to the young ones of the Duke's) shall come begging home in their strau boots!"-Which was evidently fulfilled.

He tells me Mr James Bonnar, Minister of Maybole, was a poet, and wrote severall inscriptions on houses; particularly one in the year 1649, which I have forgot. That Mr James Richmond, who was a compresbiter,† I think, with Mr Bonnar, told him, that a litle befor Mr Bonnar's death, he came to the Presbitry of Air, and took a very solemn fareweel of them, as being never more to meet with them in Presbitry; and he took every one of them by the hand in a most kind manner, save Mr Robert Wallace of Barnweel, whom he refused to take by the hand, telling him that he would be a traitor to the interests and kingdom of Christ; and he was the only member of the Presbitery of Air who conformed to Episcopacy, and was made Bishop of Argyle.

I sau in his hands the Session-book of Air, beginning 1604. In Mr Welshes time I find, in the Minister's absence, the Elders, and particularly one M'Kerrel, are designed Moderator.' After a plague at Air, and their deliverance from it, the Trades and others meet with the Session for thanksgiving, and take nottice in their thanksgiving that the Lord in his goodnes had not only delivered them from this visitation, but another some years ago, after it had sweeped away 1600 people in that toun.

Mr Munro, from Craigfergus,‡ informs me, that the present state of Belfast is melancholy enough, and of the Dissenters in the North of Ireland. Mr Hallyday has lately published his Reasons against Subscription, and there is an Answer to it in readiness by Mrs M'Brid and Hemphill. Mr Abernethy§ is likewise publishing somwhat against Con

• Goslings, his young brood; probably a play on the word duke, though certainly ducklings would have been more appropriate, had it been a Scotch phrase. † Co-Presbyter. Carrickfergus.

§ Of Antrim, afterwards of Dublin, author of Discourses on the Being and Attributes of God, and

other works.

fessions, and so the flame is rising higher and higher, particularly in Belfast. Toward the end of February, Mr Mastertoun had the Sacrament of the Supper in the third Congregation there. The Sabbath before the celebration of it, Mr Halliday and Mr Kirkpatrick intimate to their people that the Sacrament was to be celebrat in that place, and desired such as inclined to communicat to joyn with them, and two or three dayes before they wrote to Mr Mastertoun, signifying that they designed to communicat with him, and wished him much of the Lord's presence. Mr Mastertoun soon sau the designe. His people had generally withdrauen from them, because they had declared against Confessions, and subscribing them, and from suspicions of their unsoundnes in doctrine, and would not communicat with them. Mr Mastertoun communicat the letter to his helpers, who advised him to write a discreet answer to it, and signifying the difficultys that some of his people had, and to communicat the letter with his Session, and take their advice. When the Session mett, they wer all unanimously against their coming, and declared they would not consent to their admission. Mr Mastertoun moderat the matter as much as might be, and wrote to this purpose: That for his oun share, he had no difficultys to communicat with them, or to this purpose, (but much will depend on the manner of his expressing himself,) but he could not but acquaint them that many in his Congregation wer stumbled at their practise, and would have difficultys to communicat, if they came. Hou far this should determine them to absent themselves, he left to themselves, but he judged it proper to acquaint them hou matters stood, and left it to themselves to act as they found cause. The two Ministers, upon receipt of this, did not think proper to come and communicat, having thus gained, what it may be, they sought; but intimat sermon on the thanksgiving day by the other Congregation, and read Mr Mastertoun's letter from pulpit, with large commentarys of their oun, and no doubt, many severe consequences they dreu from it. And so the flame is grouing very much in that place.

I hear it said that Seafeild is Commissioner to our Assembly, nou Finlater. My Lord Loudon and the Earl of Hopton was talked of, but it seems Finlater has prevailed. The last time he was Commissioner he

1

was very unacceptable, and I am sorry, if it be true, that he is pitched upon by King George.

We hear in the Publick Letters of considerable changes in the Secretary's office and Treasury; Doddington and Young in the last, and Neucastle in the former. The Springs of them we have not yet heard. May the Lord himself guide all well! Fletcher is Lord of Session, and Mr Halden laid aside. The Squadrone seem to loss ground, and Argyle much prevailing.

Aprile 19.-This morning, about half nine, Mr Warner,* my fatherin-lau, dyed in a most easy and pleasant way. All throu his trouble he was spiritual, easy, and edifying. He longed for his change, and welcomed it, and left his blessings upon us all, and laid it upon his posterity and relations, that none should be found amissing at Christ's right hand. This is a great loss, though he was come to great age; we want his prayers, his advice, his example, his sympathy, which was very great; and yet, certainly, he is at an inexpressible gain, and was full of dayes. This spring, I have severall of my nearest relations taken away by death, and on their way. Agnes Wodrou, Mr Warner, and James Smith of Thorntoun, who is near death, and my dear child, Johny. The Lord sanctify and prepare!

May, 1724.-In the beginning of this moneth we hear accounts from Galloway, and Nidsdail, and Dumfreice, of a great gathering of people, to the number of 500 or 600, for demolishing of inclosures and gentlmen's parks. They began about Dumfreice, and are come the lenth of Kircudbright, and have the name of "Levellers" and "Dyk-breakers." They have a manifesto, and sent one to the Justice-Clerk with it when on the Circuite. When this was heard of, an express was sent to the Government with the accounts. They bear no armes, but of late, since the justices and gentlmen begin to oppose them; and nou they have armes. They came in with Basil Hamiltoun on their head to Kircudbright, and read their manifesto, and express much regard to the Gover

* Of Ardeer, Minister of Irvine.

ment; but hou much Jacobites and disaffected people may strick in with them, I knou not. It's certain, great depopulations have been made in the South, and multitudes of familys turned out of their tacks,* and sent a wandering. The Lairds of Murdoch, Herron, and others, have turned much of their estates into grass. Some parishes, particularly that of Girtoun, are almost whole inclosed, and scarce six or seven familys left; and these gentlmen take leases of other gentlmen's lands, and inclose them. They say, one gentlman, either Murdoch or Herron, in Scotland and England, has in lease upwards of thirty thousand merks worth of land in grass; and has parks all the way the cattail go up to England. Thus, multitudes of familys are cast loose. I hear that the gentlmen and they are in some kind of treaty. What the upshot shall be, I cannot say.

The Jacobites are very bussy in disseminating their disaffection. Bannockburn, and severall other attainted persons, are going up and doun in disguise. Bannockburn, they say, was lately at Corshill-heugh, with a long beard, and after he had discoursed about the coal, of which he has knouledge, he began to exclaim against the taxes, and plainly to assert the King was an usurper.

I hear Mr Daniel Carmichael, of Mauldslie, dyed well. When on his death-bed he got a glass of watter, and said, "That glass of watter is of more use to me than all my estate !" He said his mother had taught him to pray in a rote and form, and when about six or seven years of old he began to think, "Can I say no more in prayer than my mother has taught me?" and, thinking what he should say more, he was helped to give up himself in body and soul to the Lord and his service, and chuse him for his God; and added, from that time to this, he hoped he had not wickedly departed from the Lord.

The story of Kennyson and Garden mind afterwards.

The accounts of the Assembly, this moneth, and the Levellers, set Letters. I am sorry to see partys breaking so much in to our judicatorys, and nou the strugle seemed to be who was for the [Lord] Advocat or the