Page:Life of James Renwick.pdf/19

19 being so taken up with praising, and ravished with the joy of the Lord. When his mother was expressing her fear of fainting, saying, How shall I upon that head and those hands set up among the rest on the port of the city? He smiled, telling her, she should not see that; for, said he, “I have offered my life unto the Lord, and have sought he may bind them up; and I am persuaded they shall not he permitted to torture my body, nor touch one hair of my head farther.”

Monday, February 8th, he appeared before the Justiciary, and when his indictment was read, the Justice-clerk asked him, If he adhered to his former confession, and acknowledged all that was in the ? He answered, "All except where it is said I have cast off all fear of God: that I deny, for it because I fear to offend God, and violate his law, that I am here standing ready to be condemned." Then he was interrogated, If he owned authority, and James VII. to be his lawful sovereign? He answered, “I own all authority that hath its prescription and limitations from the word of God, but cannot own this usurper as lawful king, seeing both by the word of God, such an one is incapable to bear rule, and likewise by the ancient laws of the kingdom, which admit none to the crown, of Scotland, until he swear to defend the protestant religion, which a man of his profession could not do.” They urged, Could he deny him to be King? Was he not the late King’s brother? Had the late King any children lawfully begotten? Was he not declared to be his successor by act of parliament? He answered, "He was no doubt King de faclo, but not de jure; that he was brother to the other King, he knew nothing to the contrary; what children the other had he knew not; but from the word of God, that ought to be the rule of all laws, or from the ancient laws of the kingdom, it could not be shewn that he had, or ever could have any