CHARLES II.

119

severe law was made in England against con-venticles The Scottish parliament imitated thatviolence, by pasting a like act. A kind of highcommission court was appointed by the privy-council , for executing this rigorous law, and forthe direction of ecclesiastical affairs. But eventhis court, illegal as it might be deemed, wasmuch preferable to the method next adopted.IVlilitary force was let loose by the council.Wherever the people had generally forsaken theirchurches, the guards were quartered throughoutthe country. Sir James Turner commanded them,a man whose natural ferocity of temper was ofteninflamed by the use of strong liquors. He wentabout, and received from the clergy lists of thosewho absented themselves from church , or weresupposed to frequent conventicles. Without anyproof or legal conviction , he demanded a finefrom them, and quartered soldiers on the sup-posed delinquents, till he received payment. Asan insurrection was dreaded during the Dutchwar, new forces were levied, and intrusted tothe command of Dalziel and Drummond ; twoofficers , who had served the king during thecivil wars , and had afterwards engaged in theservice of Russia , where they had increased thenative cruelty of their disposition. A full careerwas given to their tyranny by the Scottissi ministry.Representations were made to the king againstthese enormities. He seemed touched with th®

I 7

1664.

14

II A T.

LXIV.

I65S.