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name of the poor proud Scots through the world; and, as our poverty increaseth. sour pride, vanity prodigality and ambition grow of airy fool stiles and titles We were all once fairly ranked in our solemn National Covenants, all Noblemen, Gentlement Barons, Burgesses Ministers, and Commons of all ranks; but since these Covenants were broken burnt, and cast by, as almanacks out of date, we were all gone out of rank and file, the honour due to the superior is given to the interior, our goodman and goodwife is turned to Sir and Mistress, and our Sir and Mistress is turned to Your Honour and Madam: Since the rebellion 1715, and since the stock-jobbing a foolish haste to be rich hath made many poor; and many other ways and things, such as living above their stations and incomes, spending their money on gaming, wine and women, have brought it to pass. There are some sentences in the end of our National Covenant that may strike terror to the hearts of all ranks; such as, "We call the living God, the searcher of our hearts, to witness, who knoweth this to be our sincere desire and unfeigned resolution, as we shall answer to Jesus Christ, at the great day, and under the pains of God's everlasting wrath, and of infamy and loss of all honour and respect in this world," &c.
The next Sabbath, after he went from the Bentyrig, he preached at Auchingilloch, on the south side of Clydesdale, and then returned to Clyde The week before he was taken, he was in the Lee-wood, where he married Robert Marshall of Starryshaw, brother to the foresaid Thomas and John Marshall. After they were gone from him, Marion Couper, spouse to John Weir, who dwelt in the Mains of Lee two solid Christians and sufferers in that time, brought his dinner to him in the wood: In the time thereof he said, What induced Robert to marry this woman? This woman's ill will overcome his good; he will not keep the way long, his thriving days are done. Which sadly came to pass in every jot. A little time thereafter he was taken and put in prison, fell in foul compliance with the enemies, went home and heard the Curates, and other steps of defection, and be-came
