Pedestrianism

270 APPENDIX. society of his friends, anddisseminating among his neigh­ bours the doctrines of the Quakers. Many of" good ac­ count" embraced their tenets; and weekly and monthly meetings of thesepeaceable andreligious peoplewere held at Ury, for devotionalexercises. But the clergy looked on them with aneye ofjealousy, and stirred up against theru the malicious passionsof weak and intolerant men. And in the month of March1676, ColonelBarclay and others, were indicted at Aberdeen, beforaecommittee of the privy- council, forholding meetings contrary to a statute enacted against armed fieldconventicles, which, under every lati­ tude of interpretation, could not be applied to Quakers. They were, however, found guilty, and amerced in a fine to the amount of a fourth part of their respective valued rents, and committed to prison until payment should be made. The colonel's son,the celebrated Apologist, wasat that time inLondon, and having muclinterest at Court,obtain­ ed his father's liberation. But the magistrates of Aberdeen were so enraged thahte should thusescape from their power, that they illegally granteda warrant to distrain his goods, and sent a Captain Melvillto put it in execution, although, his residence being in another county, he was evidently beyond theirjurisdiction. Melvill was a low fellow, who had formerlybeen a trooperin the colonel's regiment, and was therefore personally known to him ; buthe had ac­ quired all the insolence of office, and, presuming onthe support ®f the magistrates, drove off the cattle and horses at