Page:Last publick sermon, being a faithful and free one, preached by Mr. Hugh Mackaile ... upon the Sabbath immediately preceeding that 8th of September 1662, the day affixed for the removing of the ministers of Edinburgh from their kirks.pdf/30

( 30 ) ingenuous, and to declare who were the Ring-leaders of the late Riſing, and what correſpondence, either at Home or Abroad, was kept anent it; and this was done eſpecially upon the Monday, December 3d, at which Time alſo the Boots, a terrible Inſtrument of Torture, which the Hu- manity of our later Times hath ſo much abhorred, that not only the Faſhion of them was forgot, but all Torture, for their Cauſe, diſuſed; yet new ones, ſuch as they are, were laid before him upon the Town Council Houſe Ta- ble, and he certified, that if he would not confeſs he ſhould be tortured by them To-morrow. And accordingly, upon Tueſday, December 4th, he was again called before the Council, where, after the Examination and Torture of John Neilſon of Corſack, he was examined by the Earl of Ro- thes the King's Commiſſioner, the Marquis of Montroſe, and ſeveral of the Privy Council, in the Town Council Houſe. . The Biſhop of St. Andrews, for the Honour of his Profeſſion forſooth, and ſome others of the Counſellors, upon more real and Chriſtian Motives, having at firſt withi- drawn themſelves; and being urged to confeſs, he declar- ed, with a ſolemn Atteſtation, That he knew no more than he had already confeſſed; whereupon they ordered the Executioner to put his Leg into the Boot, and to proceed to the Torture: But as he had before conſeſſed and de- clared ingenuouſly all he knew, ſo this Torture, though in itſelf very violent and painful, by the extraordinary Com- preſſion both of Fleſh, Sinews and Bones, by the Force of Timber Wedges, and Hammer, and uſed upon him in a double Meaſure, even to Ten or Eleven Strokes, with conſiderable Intervals, as there remained no Truth con- cealed which it could not extort, did not in the leaſt move him to expreſs any Impatience or Bitterneſs, but having ſuſtained it moſt conſtantly and Chriſtianly; before he got the laſt three Strokes, he proteſted ſolemnly, in the Sight of God, that he could ſay no more, though all the Joints of his