Page:Brief historical relation of the life of Mr. John Livingston Minister of the Gospel.pdf/55

( 55 ) James Kirkton at Merton, William Elliot at Yarow, John Sumervail at Ednam, Samuel Row at Sprouston, Edward Jamiſon at Swinton, David Douglas at Hilton, James Tweedie at Culdon, Thomas Ramſay at Mordington, Luke Ogle at Berwick. The gentlemen in that country with whom I converſed moſt, were, Sir Andrew Ker of Greenhead, Sir William Scot of Harden, Sir Gideon Scot of Haycheſter, Sir Walter Riddel of That Ilk, and his ſon; Walter Pringle of Greenknow, George Pringle of Torwoodlie, Alexander Pringle of Whitebank; and their ladies alſo. As alſo the lady Stobs, the lady Newton, and Mrs. Elliot of Craigend. All theſe I looked upon as well affected perſons, and have been often well refreſhed at exerciſe in their houſes, and at communions where ſome of them had intereſt, and at communions with ſeveral of the miniſters before-mentioned, all within the province of Merſe and Tiviotdale, and at Borthwick, Ormiſton, Whitekirk, and Innerwick, within the province of Edinburgh.

A motion being made at one communion, about chriſtians honouring God with their ſubliance, the gentlemen above named, together with moſt of the miniſters before-mentioned, and ſome few other profeſſors, agreed among themſelves, and ſubſcribed to give a certain portion yearly, which came in all to 50 Lib.ſter. a year, and was employed only upon diſtreſſed chriſtians, and breeding of hopeful, youth in learning.

In Summer 1654. Mr. Patrick Gilleſpie, Mr. John Menzies and I, were called by letters from the Protestor to come to London: I went becauſe he had the preſent power over the land, and I hoped we might procure ſome good to Scotland. I went the rather, becauſe at that time, the Moſs-troopers were in the night-time ſeeking for me at my houſe, and I was not like to be long in ſafety; but being at London, I found no great advantage, ſo I left the other two there, and came home. After that the pariſh of Killinchie in Ireland where I had formerly been, ſent a commiſſioner once and again, with a call to me to return to them. If I could have obtained fair looſing, my mind inclined ſomewhat to have gone, becauſe of the preſent distractions