Part 37 (2/2)

About the beginning of 1663, he went to Murray land, where he was sometime chaplain to Sir Hugh Campbel of Calder's family; but at the instigation of M'Kenzie then bishop of Murray, he was obliged about Sept. 1664, to leave this family. He then returned home to his father then dwelling at Lanerk, being ejected from his own parish by the prelates: in which time he fell acquainted with one Marion Fairlie, whom he married; and being a woman eminent for religion, she proved a great blessing to him afterwards.

In the year 1666 he was solicited and prevailed upon by Mr. John Welch to join that party who were so oppressed by the inhuman cruelties of Sir James Turner and his forces then lying at Dumfries. Accordingly, after the Galloway forces had taken Sir James, Mr. Vetch and major Lermont went west and joined them on a hill above Galston. Next day, they sent him with 40 or 50 horse to take up quarters in the town of Ayr.

After some respite, they marched up the water of Ayr towards Douglas, and from thence to Lanerk; Dalziel and his forces having come as far as Strathaven in quest of them; but hearing they were at Lanerk, turned his march after them. In the mean time, the honest party being above 1500 horse and foot, it was thought proper that both the national and solemn league and covenant should be by them renewed; which they did with great solemnity: and hearing that Dalziel approached, they concluded it would be best to abide some time there, as the heavy rains had made Clyde impa.s.sable for him except by boat, (and that being broken) until the water decreased; and that 50 of their number might be able to stop his pa.s.sage at the river; which might be both a dash upon the enemy, and encouraging to friends to join them at that place. But unhappily a letter came at that juncture from Sir James Stuart (after the revolution, advocate) to Messrs. Welch and Semple, to come as near Edinburgh as possible, where they would get men and other necessaries.

This made them break their resolution, and march for Bathgate, where, both night and snow coming on, they concluded to go forward to Collington.

Having taken up their quarters, they consulted how they should do in answer to Mr. Stuart's letter; and at last voted Mr. Vetch to go to Edinburgh, and converse with him anent the promised supply. This, against his own mind at the importunity of col. Wallace, he undertook.--And having disguised himself with a baggage horse, an old hat and cloke, Mr. M'Cormick conveyed him a little way, minding him of several things to communicate to James Stuart. He had but gone a little till he met a brisk strong fellow riding with a drawn sword in his hand, who asked, Which way he came? He said, Biggar way. But, says he, Did you not see all Colington on fire? I fear my house be burnt; for I hear the Whigs are come. Mr. Vetch declared his ignorance of this, and so they parted. Near Greenhill park, he met three women, who told him, that if he went by Greenhill house, &c. he was a dead man; for there lord Kingston was placed with a party to intercept all the Whigs from coming to the town. This made him take a bye-road to Libberton wynd. A little farther, he espied a centinel on horseback, which obliged him to take Dalkeith way. But coming thither, some colliers told him, there was no getting to the town; all the ports were shut and guards set upon them.

This put him to a stand. Reason said, You must turn back; credit cried, You must go forward, else lose your reputation; and so he proceeded, till taken by two centinels, and carried to the Potter-row port, where he was examined by the captain of the guard; and instead of being let into the city, was sent with a file of musqueteers back to lord Kingston. Mr. Vetch, in this sad dilemma, had no other comfort but to put up his desires to G.o.d, that he would direct him what to do or say, if he had a mind to spare him any longer. Being examined by Kingston, to whom he gave soft answers; in the mean time, an alarm rose, that the Whigs (as they called them) approached; Kingston called them to their arms; whereupon Mr. Vetch called for arms, saying, he would go against them in the first rank: This made Kingston say, he was a brave fellow.

After the hurry was over, with great difficulty he got off into the town. But finding nothing could be got there, the next morning hearing that the western forces marched toward Pentland hills, he adventured to return by Libberton way toward the house in the muir; and making his escape at Pentland town, when pa.s.sing through Roslin moor, coming to Glencross water, a frontier of Dalziel's horse had almost taken him. But being within cry of capt. Paton (now lieutenant of the rear-guard of the western army) who beat back Dalziel's horse, and delivered him, saying, O Sir, we took you for a dead man, and repented sore we sent you on such an unreasonable undertaking. As they rode toward Pentland hills, they perceived their friends leaving the high way, marching their main body towards the hill, and a select body to the top: general Dalziel's coming from Currie through the hills, occasioned this. It was about 12 o'clock the 28th of November 1666. It had been snow and frost the night before, the day was pretty clear and suns.h.i.+ne. In half an hour, Dalziel's select party under Drummond fell upon their select party; but was beat back, to the great consternation of their army, hundreds of whom, as they were marching through the hills, threw down their arms and run away. Drummond himself afterward acknowledged, that if they had pursued this advantage, they had utterly ruined Dalziel's army. M'Leland of Barmaguhen and Mr.

Crookshanks commanded the first party, who took some prisoners; major Lermont commanded the second party, who beat the enemy again, where the duke Hamilton narrowly escaped by the dean of Hamilton's laying his sword upon the duke's back, which warded off the country man's blow upon him. Dalziel sending up a party to rescue him, major Lermont's horse was shot under him; but he, starting back to a d.y.k.e, killed one of the four pursuers, mounted his horse, and came off in spite of the other three.--The last encounter was at day-light going, when the covenanters were broke, and Mr. Vetch falling in amongst a whole troop of the enemy who turned his horse in the dark, and violently carried him along with them, not knowing but he was one of their own. But they falling down the hill in the pursuit, and he wearing upward, the moon rising clear, for fear of being discovered, he was obliged to steer off; which they perceiving, cried out, and pursued after him, discharging several shot at him; but their horses sinking, they could not make the hill, and so he eloped, and came that night to a herd's house in Dunsyre common, within a mile of his own habitation.

A little after this, he met with another remarkable deliverance at the laird of Auston's, when the enemy were there in pursuit of his son-in-law major Lermont. After this, Mr. Vetch was obliged to abscond, and so he went off for Newcastle, where he continued some time. Here he took the name of William Johnston, his mother being of that name. After a considerable time of trouble, when he had the flux through the fatigue and cold he had got in the winter, he went home to visit his wife, where he again narrowly escaped, and so returned again to Newcastle. From thence he was invited to London, where he preached sometimes for Mr.

Blackie, particularly one Sabbath on these words, _If thou hadst known in this thy day_, &c. After the blessing was p.r.o.nounced, some of the auditors cried, Treason, treason; which surprized Mr. Blackie and the people, till one col. Blood stood up and said, Good people, we have heard nothing but reason, reason: and so he took off Mr. Vetch, which ended the business.

Thus Mr. Vetch travelled from place to place, sometimes at London, sometimes Nottingham, Chester, Lanchester, sometimes in Northumberland, especially in Reidsdale, till 1671, that he was persuaded to bring his wife and family to that county, which he did, and settled for some time within the parish of Rothbury in Northumberland. But no sooner was he settled here (though in a moorish place) than the popish gang stirred up enemies unto him on account of his little meeting, which obliged him to remove five miles, farther up the country to a place called Harnam hall, where many, out of curiosity, frequented his preaching. Likewise Anabaptists, who kept 7th day Sabbaths, were punctual attenders.

Here he had no small success in the reformation of people's morals; several instances of which, for brevity's sake, must here be omitted[262]. But the devil, envying these small beginnings, again stirred him up enemies, particularly one justice Lorrain, who, at the instigation of the clergy, issued out warrants to apprehend him. But this misgiving, Lorrain, in one of his drinking fits, promised to go in person next Sabbath, and put an end to these meetings. But not many hours after, he by an unusual and strange mean got his leg broke: so that he could travel none for many weeks after.

This design being frustrated, one parson Ward of Kirkhails went up to the bishop of Durham, and returned well armed, as he thought, against Mr. Vetch, having orders to excommunicate all such. But being delayed by another curate, they drank all night together; and that he might be home against Sabbath, he so tired his horse, that he was not able to get him on alone. He hired the herd man of Harnam to lead him, taking his club to drive him on; but while he so unmercifully was beating the poor beast, it, without regard to his coat, canon, or the orders he carried, struck him on the cheek, till the blood gushed out; which made the boy that led the horse (seeing him fall) run to a gentlewoman's house hard by, who sent out two servants with a barrow, who carried him in where he had his wounds dressed, and lay there several weeks under a cure; and so they were again disappointed.

Having continued there four years, he removed to Stanton-hall, where he found the country filled with papists, and the parish church with a violent persecutor, one Thomas Bell. This Bell, though he was his own country-man, and had received many favours from Mr. Vetch's brother, yet was so maliciously set against him, that he vowed to some professed papists, who were stimulating him on against that meeting, that he should either ruin Mr Vetch, or he him. And, as the event proved, he was no false prophet; for he never gave over till he got one major Oglethorp to apprehend him, which he did Jan. 19, 1679.

After different turns, he was brought to Edinburgh, and Feb. 22. brought before a committee of the council, where bishop Sharp was preses. The bishop put many questions to him to see if he could ensnare him. One of them was, Have you taken the covenant? He answered, This honourable board may easily perceive, I was not capable to take the covenant, when you and other ministers tendered it. At which the whole company gave a laugh, which somewhat nettled the bishops. They asked, Did you never take it since. Answ. I judge myself obliged to covenant myself away to G.o.d, and frequently to renew it. At which bishop Paterson stood up and said, You will get no good of this man: he is all evasion. After other questions, he was required to subscribe his own confession, which he a.s.sented to, if _in mundo_, without their additions; which at last through Lundy's influence they granted. And though they could prove nothing criminal against him, he was remanded back to prison, and by a letter from the king turned over to the criminal court, which was to meet March 18th. but was adjourned to two different terms after, till the month of July, that sentence of death was to have been pa.s.sed upon him, upon the old sentence in 1666. Mr. Vetch, now finding sentence of death was to be pa.s.sed upon him, prevailed with his friend Mr. Gilbert Elliot to ride post to London, where not having access to Lauderdale, he applied to Shaftsbury, and got his case printed, and a copy given to each member of parliament, The king being applied unto, and threatened with a parliamentary enquiry, wrote a letter, and sent express to stop all criminal process against him: which expresses, procured at last by Lauderdale out of antipathy to Monmouth, who was minded to have interceeded to the king for him, he was liberated under a sentence of banishment, to retire to England; which he did in a short time after.

In the mean time these affairs were transacting, bishop Sharp was cut off at Magus moor, the account of which it were needless to relate here, being touched elsewhere: excepting a circ.u.mstance or two somewhat different, or more full, than some others on that particular; that is, after they had fired several pistols at him in the coach, being pulled out, Burly having a brazen blunderbuss charged with several bullets, fired it so near his breast, that his gown, cloaths and s.h.i.+rt were burnt, and he fell flat on his face; they, thinking a window was made through his body, went off, but one staying to tie his horse's girth, heard his daughter call to the coachman for help, for her father was yet alive: which made him call back the rest, (knowing if he was not dead, their case would be worse than ever) Burly (or Balfour) coming to him while yet lying on his face, (as is said) putting his hat off with his foot, struck him on the head till his brains were seen; then, with a cry, he expired. Searching his pockets, they found the king's letter for executing more cruelties, as also a little purse with two pistol bullets, a little ball made up of all colours of silk, like an ordinary plumb, a bit of parchment, a finger breadth in length, with two long words written upon it which none could read, though the characters were like Hebrew or Chaldaick. This they took, but meddled with neither money nor watch.

After he was by the council's order examined by two surgeons, the blue marks of the bullets were seen about his neck, back and breast, where his cloaths were burnt; but in all these places, the skin was not broke: so that the wound in his head had only killed him; which occasioned an universal talk, that he had got proof against shot from the devil, and that the forementioned purse contained the sorcery or charm. However, his brother got liberty to erect a marble monument on him, which instead of honour (the only end of such sumptuous structures) stands yet in St.

Andrews as an ensign of his infamy unto this day.

The rising of Bothwel immediately followed this. But being broke, an indemnity was granted to those concerned therein. But one of the conditions being, that no minister should preach without liberty given, which no faithful minister could a.s.sent to. However Monmouth, upon Shaftsbury's recommendation, inserted Mr. Vetch's name in the roll with the rest. But by bishop Paterson's means, his name was excluded. This made Monmouth say he should get the matter done another way, as soon as he came to London. Which coming to Lauderdale's ears at court, by means of lord Stairs, the king signed a warrant, turning the sentence of death to banishment from Scotland only; and so he was liberated, and returned back to his old habitation in England.

But not long after his return, hearing they intended in these parts to apprehend him again, he retired westward in the English borders; where he frequently preached, _viz._ Kilderhead, Wheeler, Causeway, Deadwater, &c.

What wonderful success the preaching of the gospel had by ministers retiring thither under the persecuting period, to the repressing, yea, almost extinguis.h.i.+ng, the feuds, thefts and robberies so connatural unto these places and people about the borders, has been worth a singular and serious observation.

Before his apprehending, he had preached with much success at Blewcairn in Lauder moor, and several places in the Merse and Teviotdale, especially at Fogo moor, upon these words, Psal. cii. _Thou shalt arise, and have mercy on Zion_, &c. After which he had a very remarkable escape from his enemies. After his return, upon a line from Mr. Temple, he went to Berwick. But the news coming in the mean time there, that the earl of Argyle was escaped from Edinburgh, caused no small confusion in that place; out of which he emerged, and at last having surmounted several difficulties, by means of his good friends and acquaintance, he got to the house of Mr. Ogle the outed minister of Berwick, now six miles from the place. He desired him to stay till Sabbath was over, and perform an old promise of giving a sermon to one Hall and his lady; to which he a.s.sented.

But going to bed after this confusion, he being weary fell asleep, and dreamed that his house at Stanton-hall (more than 30 miles distant) was all on fire; which made him awake with no small consternation, resolving to take journey home. But it not being time to rise, he fell asleep, and dreaming the same thing over again, awaking all in a sweat. The doubling of the dream he took for a clear call to go home, and telling the dream to Mr. Ogle, (who called it a maggot) he excused himself the best way he could to the laird and lady, to whom he was to preach, and went off.

About a mile and a half from his own house, he met Torwoodlee's man, who said, O Sir, you are long looked for at your house: which made him ask what was the matter, and if his family was all well? He answered, Yes; but, says he, there is a stranger, _viz._ Argyle, and your wife longs to see you, and we have been for two days sending about the country to find you.

After meeting and some converse, with his wife's consent, (who was now near her time) he undertook to do his best for bringing the earl safe to London, and so he took Argyle under the name of Mr. Hope along with him to Midburn Grange, where he was to preach that Sabbath; and on Monday, he took him to a friend's house between Newcastle and Newburn, where he left Argyle and went to Newcastle, and bought three horses for him at his own expence, the earl being then scarce of money: after which they came to Leeds, and then to Roderam; and took up there one night; from thence they set off, and at last arrived safe at London.

After staying some time in London, Argyle set off to join with Monmouth in Holland, and Mr. Vetch returned to his house in Stanton-hall. But the thing breaking out, he narrowly escaped being taken; and after lurking sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another, he was obliged to go over secretly to Holland, where he met with old friends and acquaintances, Monmouth, Argyle, earl of Melvil, Polwart, Torwoodlee, and James Stuart. Monmouth and Argyle, having agreed to make a descent at one time, the one to England, and the other to Scotland, several of their friends were sent over _incognito_, to warn their friends in both kingdoms to make ready. It was Mr. Vetch's part, to give Northumberland and the Scots borders notice. Mr. Vetch had a verbal commission from Argyle to procure money for buying arms, drums, colours, horses, and taking on men, especially Oliverian officers: somewhat of all which he did. But the matter taking air, he was obliged to hide himself near Reidsdale head, even from his very friends, till the season of appearing came, where he narrowly escaped being taken, while hid on Carter-hill covered with a turff of heather, col. Strothers and Meldrum's troop being out in quest of him and others.

But this enterprize failing, Argyle being defeated and taken in Scotland, and Monmouth in England, the design came to nothing, only Mr.

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