of us at the fainting with the surprise, which was a pleasant disappointment and ground of thankfulness that the Lord had been so gracious in disappointing the hopes of enemies and fears of friends.

"This same evening we went together, with some other friends, travelling all night by water, to Helvoetsluys, where many of us continued together in the yacht for three or four days, the place being so crowded that we abode in that harbour till we found out a country village near by, in a Dutch minister's house, where we had accommodation and the liberty of our own entertainment, which we esteemed no small favour and kindness. This village we were in contained many of the Scots and English, as was computed several hundreds, where we had the satisfaction of attending till we should see our friends go to sea again...

"Helvoetsluys, Oct. 27 (Sunday). . . . After this, when all was ready, we were allowed to attend our friends to their ships, which was a beautiful sight to see, such a number gathered together for the protestant interest in a time when so great an invasion was made upon it and our properties, that the Lord thus appeared to raise up this great instrument of our relief. If He had not done so, what might we not have expected of ruin and destruction from a popish power?

"Helvoetsluys, Thursday, Nov. 1, 1688. . . The day following, we, who were left behind, journeyed to our respective homes, some of us on foot and some in waggons, with more cheerfulness and hope as to the matters in hand, so as the former pressure of mind and anxiety was strangely removed."

No. XXXVIII.-PAGE 172.

Letter from William eighteenth Earl of Crawford to two Ministers, consulting them on the question of Emigration.

"Reverend and worthy Sir,

"Struthers, 8 Sept. 1685.

"The long acquaintance I have had of the bearer gives me such an entire confidence in his faithfulness and secrecy, as well as affection to me and that interest which I chiefly own, upon which I am encouraged to write upon a subject that is somewhat tender, and to use a plainness about it which might warrantably be concluded rashness, if I could be understood in the straits with which I am pinched on either side without an entire freedom in those matters that reason or conscience, upon serious deliberation, suggests upon the subject in hand.* The truth of it is, the more I have thought on the thing, I am the more in the mist; and am come to that opinion that the wisest of men, Solomon himself, if alive and in my case, if the guidance by the Spirit of God were but for a time suspended, might be difficulted what resolution to take.— Upon which I have willingly laid aside all thoughts of consulting with worldly wisdom, and as I am able, though in much weakness, have laid the matter before God, with an entire resignation to what He, in his wisdom and goodness, * Parts of this letter are almost unintelligible, apparently from repeated transcription.

shall clear up to me as duty, after I have yet more fully by myself applied to the throne of grace for that effect; and for further confirmation in what is real duty, without the least regard to ease or shifting of suffering, have consulted Mr. Moncreiff and you, (whom I only apply to in this affair,) who I know bear such respect both to my soul and family as that ye will employ some time upon this single occasion, either apairt or jointly, that you may find out the mind of God in the matter,-to which, without the least hesitation, in His grace I intend pleasantly to acquiesce. You need draw no consequence from the order of my arguments, upon their being first or last, and as little from the force of them, since I design not to be determined by reason but by conscience, nor do I write them as thereby prescribing in any fashion to either Mr. Moncreiff or you, or to preoccupy your opinions; but singly that you may understand matters of fact, with all their concomitant circumstances, which sometimes will difference a thing, even in point of duty.

"But not to detain you longer in the entry, I come to the point. It has been of a long while in debate with me, whether it was fit for me to retire out of the nation, from the fear of what temptations may do to an ill heart, if the storm shall arise to that height that it be like the blast of a terrible one against the wall, on the other hand, the difficulties in my retreat, and the consequents of it, have had their own weight. Before I touch on these particularly there is nothing in my case, either by hearing, speaking, or acting in hazardous matters, that can give me the least bias to either side,-yea, I have been equally fortunate ever since the Indemnity, 1679, in having at no time seen any person that was badly circumstantiate; nor do I know anything of myself, further than my practice of nonconformity, and my purpose, in God's strength, not to yield in less or more in things relating to that principle, that can difference me from other firm Protestants.

"The things that prompt me to go are, First,-a passionate desire in a most dutiful, most affectionate, and singularly good wife, who is really disquieted with apprehensions of sad things that are coming on Scotland :—now, when I consider the composedness of her temper for ordinary, I have sometimes looked on this restlessness in her spirit to be gone as a warning from God that I should retire. Secondly, the many prognostics of some eminently godly, both in former ages and of late, of dreadful things that were to befall Scotland; some, from the deepness of our apostacy, concluding that God in his justice would remove his candlestick out of these lands; others apprehending cutting of throats, burning at stakes, and few without fears that close imprisonment and forfaulture of estates will be the easiest censure that such may meet with who do not in less or more comply. Besides, the punishment of such as shall refuse the test is made arbitrary, and how far this may be extended to sound recusants, for example to others, is doubtful,-then, my conspicuousness beyond others, and singularity of practice in some things, may readily bring me first in mind, and, for terror to others, first on the stage, and make me more briskly dealt with. Thirdly,-I know it is projected by some of our chief managers of affairs, and exceedingly urged by the dignified clergy, that my censure should amount unto the stripping of my honours, and the bestowing these on Edzell, and the evicting of that alimentary pairt of my wife's jointure which was not disponed to her son, but to a trustee, without all

backband or verbal insinuation of a return to her of the least pairt of it, whom yet they conclude, and that truly, gives for [her?] a yearly proportion of it, and this they can find out by referring it to his oath,-whether my absence out of the nation may put a stop to either of these procedures may be under consideration. Fourthly,—the dreadful apprehensions that the experience of an ill heart, which hath often played the jade to me under lesser temptations, gives me of fainting when the trial shall come, and may extend unto life upon continuing honest to my principle, does often, instead of prompting me to duties, so disquiet me, as I am frequently put from them. Fifthly,—the infrequency of my hearing the Gospel preached from clearly persons at whom I have no rooted scruple; and the imminent danger that does attend ministers who from faithfulness do yet take their venture, and the difficulty I have to purge my family of all such as I cannot answer will bide a stress upon that head for secrecy and closeness-is no small disturbance unto me. Sixthly,it deeply weighs with me that my children, such as are at schools, have not the benefit of such an education as I could wish; nor can I cure that, without I took them from schools, and were satisfied that they did not aim at being scholars, for I can possibly have none rightly principled tolerate in my family for teaching of them; much less, that I should have somewhat of inspection over them, can I think of having a conformist in my family, who would either be a spy in it, or, through fear, might tempt me to a sinful superplus of wainesse [wariness ?].

"The impediments I have are these :—First,—the dangers in going. Let us consider them severally. I have long laboured with rulers, and such as have interest with them, for a cleanly pass, without sinful terms on my pairt, or at least conditions that are doubtful; and have been still rebutted, sometimes from one reason, and sometimes from another. The preparative of my case as a leading example was one answer from them,-the differences betwixt our two great men were another let. They did conceive, at another occasion, that my earnestness to go did proceed from some very dangerous circumstances I was under,—and lest I should have confirmed them in this, I found myself obliged to desist. The chief of my endeavours for a pass was in our late King's time, when matters were not come to this height,-besides, I judge, if application were now made, the market would be rather higher than it was, and the conditions more narrow, and a refusal would readily have that effect to increase their displeasure unspeakably, if afterwards upon a pinch I went without licence. Yea, from fear that the same humour which rendered me earnest for a pass should move me to run away without it, I most probably might be secured in a prison,—but suppose I were not, how could I be prepared for such a voyage without indication to a few that I was to go?-and what hazard were there that some of those few might trust others with it, and so the thing go abroad!-But though nothing of this should follow, but that I were just ready to go to the ship, without any persons suspecting such a thing, I were no nearer my purposes, masters of ships and skippers are so straitly sworn to give up the names of all such as go with them; and when there is any ventur ing on the ordinary boatmen for concealed persons, they are either put in the bottom amongst coals or other burthens they take along with them; yea, this is not all, the inquisitors do search all cabins, and make trial with spears, and

such-like, if there are any persons hid in the cargo; yea, though persons were willing to venture on all these inconveniences, which would be great to women and children, there were no master of a ship or skipper that could be again a Scotsman, if he without licence should transport me and my family out of the nation, and, considering my circumstances, it were not possible for me to gratify him in any fashion that could compense such a loss. Besides the danger of rencountering on the seas with any of our King's ships, and the strict scrutiny that they make when they meet with any ships belonging to these three nations, to what place of the world could I retire to for more safety? It is informed (I know not how warrantably) that our King has signed a league defensive with Holland, Denmark, and some other states, upon this express condition, that they shall deliver up, without a call, all declared rebels belonging to either nation, and upon demand shall give up all such, however free of public censure, as he shall nominate to them. If this be truth, it would break all my measures if I were to go, or at least exceedingly straiten me; for neither my wife nor I has inclination for long voyages by sea, or a retreat far off from Scotland. Secondly, if I did retire to a place even where I might expect safety, and were out of the fears of being delivered up, yet I might be charged to appear, and, if I did it not, declared rebel, and my friends, without venturing on the same fate, put out of a capacity of corresponding with me and supplying me, and any little means of my wife's by that course [be] absolutely lost to me. Thirdly, suppose none of the preceding inconveniences fell out, the means of my subsistence, even in my own country, are so inconsiderable, that I have in the midst of my friends hardly any redundancy above the meanest of food and raiment,-when supply is either withdrawn, or rendered more inconsiderable by the distance of the place, and possibly dearness in living there, my wife, children, and I may be under the hazard of downright want. Fourthly,-I am uncertain what benefit I can have of the Gospel, or what education my children can have, where I retire. It is true, I want not offers of supply both ways from a person that is willing to take their venture in that journey; but how far this may be tolerate on the place, however secretly conveyed, is my doubt. Fifthly, those that have a mind to divest me of my honours would desire no better occasion to give a face to their procedure than that I went out of the way by stealth, and was consequently under some heavy guilt, and deserved suitable punishment, which may make some conclude that for a little of ease to myself, or putting a stop to groundless fears, I have prostituted such a badge of honour belonging to my family. Sixthly, I may be yet under another inconvenience of having clamour for leaving of the nation, until both the Scots and English interest disponed to my creditors be made effectual for their payment; and particularly these is in the English interest, that though I have made over a complete right, according to the law of Scotland, yet there is a necessity of doing a new deed for their further security according to the law of England, which my creditors were not informed of till of late, and will take some longer time than is convenient for my abode here (if I go before winter) ere it can be expeded. Seventhly,— upon my disposal of all estate I had, real or personal, in this nation or elsewhere, without the least reserve, and without any clause of redemption, there was an acceptation of that deed subscribed by all my creditors (three excepted),

in which they discharge me of all personal execution or real execution against any estate I shall acquire hereafter. Now, lest those three should exclaim that I fly from the nation to evite a personal distress from them, I do hesitate upon the journey upon this very account. Eighthly, I leave it to you to determine if, upon the fear of suffering, it be duty to leave my mother Church, to forsake my younger children without all inspection over them, though under the trust of religious and kind relations, who by death may be removed from them, or by a prison rendered more incapable of educating of them. You see I have kept no reserve in all this affair, but have plainly unbosomed myself, and expects, after your serious deliberation and minding my case before the Lord, I may have your and your brother's sense of the whole affair, without any regard to the gratifying of my temper, but singly eying what is duty to me under the present circumstances,—which with very much readiness shall be obeyed by,

"Reverend and worthy Sir,

"Your affectionate friend

"and humble servant,

"CRAFURD."

No. XXXIX.-PAGE 174.

Extracts from the Letters of William eighteenth Earl of Crawford to Lord Melville, Secretary of State for Scotland, 1689.

(Leven Papers, p. 221.)

"Edinburgh, 1 August, 1689.

"I am daily more confirmed that our King has no steady friends in this nation but such as are of the Presbyterian persuasion, and, on the contrary, every Episcopal man of the clergy, and for the most part even the laics, are using their utmost artifices to continue, if not to increase, the disgust that [they] may have conceived at the present government; and that all the acts of favour that the King is capable of conferring on us shall not so strengthen his interest, and thoroughly engage the hearts of his friends, as a present settlement of Presbyterian government, a reducing of forfeitures, and a refunding of. fines; which, if the Commissioner would concur heartily in, would very quickly be found the general inclinations of this Parliament,-his Majesty's friends would frankly give him their money, would readily venture their lives; and his enemies, if that course were taken, would quickly stoop to the present establishment. Since I have not access to attend the Council, I judge it duty to express my true thoughts in another method."

(Leven Papers, p. 236.)

"August 6th, 1689.

I am very sensible of the honour done me by the King, and trust reposed in me in that he would allow me to go to Court. But as my chief