Page:Some remarkable passages of the life and death of Master Alexander Peden.pdf/10

 12. After the publick murdering of these two worthy women-martyrs, Isobel Alison and Marion Harvie, in the Grass-market of Edinburgh, January 1681, he was in Galloway, a professor of some note, who had more carnal wit and policy than to suffer him to be honest & faithful, after reasoning upon the grounds of their sufferings, affirmed, that they would never be reckoned among the number of the martyrs: Mr. Peden said, after musing a little, Let alone, you'll never be honour'd with such a death, and for what you have said against these two worthy lasses, your death will be both sudden and surprising. Which was very shortly thereafter; the man standing before the fire smoaking his pipe, dropt down dead, and that without speaking more.

13. In the month of June 1682, he was in the house of James Brown in Paddock holm above Douglass, John Wilson in Lanerk was with him, who suffered martyrdom in the Grass-market of Edinburgh the next year, May 1683. He lectured at night upon the vii. chapter of Amos, and repeated these words in the 9 verse three timcstimes [sic], And I will rise against the house of Jeraboam with the sword. He laid his hand on the said John, and said, John, have at the unhappy name of Stewarts, off the throne shall they go, if all the world should set side to hold them on. Afterwards he brake out in a rapture about our martyrs, saying, They were going off the stage with fresh gales and full sails, & now they are all glancing in glory; O if ye saw them, they would flee you out of your wits. He again laid his hand upon the said John, and said, Encourage yourself in the Lord & hold fast, John, for you'll win up yonder shortly, and get on all your braws. That night he went to the fields; to-morrow about 6 o'clock John went to seek him, and found him coming to the house. He said, John, let us go from this house, for the devil is about it, and will take his prey with him. John said, we will take breakfast e'er we go, 'tis a question when we'll get the offer again. He answered, No, no; I will not eat bread in this place, our landlord is an unhappy man, the devil will get him shortly, for he will hang himself. Which very shortly came to pass; his daughter Jean Brown was the first that got him in her arms, hanging in the stable. She was reckoned by all to be a grave Christian lass but from that day never had her health, and died of a decay at last, after she had been sometime in prison for her principles. This passage the same John Wilson reported several times to many, and some alive can bear witness to the truth of it.