In anno 1668 was Honieman B. of Orkney shot in the arme, being sitting in the coach wt Arch.  B. Sharp, for whom, it was thought, the pistoll was levelled.  Some sayd it behoved to be some great hater of the Bischops, others said it might be out of privat splen and not for the privat quarrell of Religion; others said he was but suborned to do it by the Bychops themselves, that they might lay the blame on the Presbyterians, and draw the greater odium on them, and stoop the favor that was intended them of opening some of their ministers mouths; and the truth is, it did retard that better almost a year.

In anno 1670, about July theirof, Mr. John Meinzeis, brother to the Laird of Culteraws, and minister at[632] in Annandale, left his church and emitted a declaration bearing what stings he suffared in his conscience for conforming with the present church governement, which he fand to be a fertile soyle for profanity and errors of all kinds, and theirfor he gives all to whom thir presents may come to know that he disapproves of the said governement and of his bypast complyance, and that in tyme coming he will forsake the ministrie, since he cannot exercise it unlesse he wound his soull farder by that sinfull compliance.  The Bisc. ware verie pressing to have had him punisht, but his friends got him borne by.

    [632] Blank in MS.

In that same year 1670 was that monster of men and reproach of mankind (for otherwayes I cannot stile him), Major Weir, for most horrible witchcraft, Incest, Bestiality, and other enorme crymes, at first confest by himselfe (his conscience being awakned by the terrors of the Almightie), but afterwards faintly denied by him, brunt.  So sad a spectacle he was of humane frailty that I think no history can parallell the like.  We saw him the fornoon before he died, but he could be drawen to no sense of a mercifull God, yea sometimes would he scarse confesse their was a God, so horribly was he lost to himselfe.  The thing that aggravated his guilt most was the pretext and show of godlinesse wt which he had even to that tyme deceived the world.  His sister also was but a very lamentable object, for she ran on the other extreem and praesumed exceidingly on the mercy of God, wheiras their ware no great evidences in hir of soull contrition.  She was hanged.

They say their is some difference fallen in betuen my Lo.  Lauderdale and my Lo.  Argyle about some desire my Lo.  Lauderdale had in relation to the Lady Balcarras, now Lady Argile, which Argile relished not, and said, I think your grace would take the ward of my marriage.  He answered, I may weill have that, for I once had the waird of your head, which was true in anno 1663, when the sentence of death and forfaultor was past on him as a traitor.