IN your last , you told me , That a fuller and more particular Account of the Condition of the Episcopal Clergy in Scotland , would not only be very acceptable to some Worthy Persons , but might also be instrumental towards the Relief of the sad and deplorable Condition they are in . Upon this Consideration I am now mov'd to write what I know , upon good Grounds , in that matter ; hoping that a modest Relation of their Sufferings , may prove a kind and charitable Intercession for them ; and that others , when they know as much as I do , in the Point , will compassionate them , as much as my self ; who hear their Cries and Complaints , and am an Eye-witness of their Poverty and Distress , almost every day .

The Clergy of Scotland were never in so flourishing a Condition since the Reformation , as they have been of late . The long Peace of near Thirty Years , since the Restauration , has been well imployed by them : It has been a quiet season , and Learning has grown , and improv'd in it ; Orthodox English Writers has been brought , Libraries , publick and private , furnish'd with good Books ; the Principles of the English Church carefully examin'd , and their Judgment so convin'd of the Excellency and Necessity of our Discipline and Order , that they generally love and admire our Constitution ; and heartily pray , that the like might be setled amongst them , which might prevent the Supiness and Indevotion , &c. which are too visible in that Nation . And herein , the Care of all their Universities is very commendable , wherein the young Clergy has been season'd with Orthodox Principles ; particularly , Glasquo , where an Eminent Professor did , on all occasions , magnifie the Constitution of the Church of England , to the Scotch as well as English Scholars ; and to make his Sentiments more publick , he printed a Book at that Place , containing some great and distinguishing Doctrines of the English Church . By the Care of the Universities , all the Churches in the Kingdom , which are said to be about 950 , were fill'd with Achademicks ; who , for their Number , for their quickness of Apprehension , readiness of Expression , &c. may not be thought inferiour to so many of the English Clergy , taken in gross . What their Behaviour was at the Insurrection at Bothwill Bridge , and since , every one knows . They generally complain'd of Violation of Justice , under the late Administration ; and though some were too Accessary , yet others suffer'd for their Opposition ; so that the whole cannot be culpable , for the Miscarriages of a sew . There was an Address of their Bishop , which is in the Gazetts , which very much incens'd the common inferiour People against them ; but considering the Proclamations which were published by all Magistrates , the Laws in force , and their other Obligations , at that time , there might be some charitable Allowances for that Action ; and seeing they are willing to submit to the present Government , the power of those in Authority , might be pleas'd to cover them from the Rage and Insolence of the Rabble .

Upon the late great Revolution , at the coming of that invincible Prince to assert Out-Laws and Liberties , these Episcopal Clergy found themselves opposed by Three sorts of Adversaries , differing amongst themselves , yet united in their Endeavours to extirpate them ; viz. The old Presbyterians , who accepted the Indulgence under King James , commonly called , The Indulg'd Men ; the Cameronians ( from one Cameron , a late Preacher amongst them , about Bothwill-Bridge Rising ) and the Mountaineers or Hillmen , who are like the old Anabaptists of Germany , not to be rank'd under any regular Principles ; The first are most moderate , but the two last run to the heighth of enrag'd Violence , and are not check'd or restrain'd by the other . In the S. W. and W. Parts of the Kingdom , ( where the Cameronians are most numerous ) the regular Clergy were silenc'd , hinder'd from going their Churches , and abus'd in most barbarous manner , before any thing was done in Parliament against them : The way was , to send to the Minister , by any ( unknown ) hand , an Order to desist from Preaching at his Peril ; and if he did not out of fear of his Life , obey it , then with Arms and Violence , they opposed his entring his Church , and sometimes put some of their own Principles or Leaders into the Pulpit . But the Fury of their Enemies shew'd it self so much , as after the Abolition of Episcopacy by sound of Trumpet ; for when they were thrown down by the Government , then the meanest of the People insolently trampled upon them . I shall not reflect upon the publick Proceedings , but only tell you Matter of Fact , as I have were depriv'd by Order ; and at that time , those that would pray as they were commanded , and declare their satisfaction in what was done , were allow'd to continue in their Places ; only the Ejected complain'd , not so much of their being depriv'd , as that all the Profits of the year were denyed them , which they were in possession of till after Whitsontide ; nay , till July or August , which they say is contrary to the Laws of Scotland ; nay , some , if not all of them , were unable to get up their Arrears . In some place the People being unwilling to pay them ; and where they were willing , the Parishoners dare not , for fear they should be demanded , for publick Occasions , as the last years Revenues are , Collectors being appointed ( as they hear ) to gather them for paying the Army . But those that were turn'd out by the Cameronians and Mountaineers , were the greatest Sufferers of any ; for they pull'd them violently out of their Manses ( as their Parsonage houses are call'd ) threw out their Goods and Stuff , burnt or tore their Books , and forc'd their Wives and Children , where they had any , to beg their Bread in the Country , glad they escap'd with their Lives . Their Gowns mov'd their Indignation very much , and where they found them , they tore them to pieces ; one had his cut as he was pleading his Cause before his Judges , and another had his put upon him , and carryed in it to the Market-Cross , and there had it torn in a 1000 pieces ; some insulting over the poor man , and some pitying his Condition . And those that were thus turn'd out and abused by the People , without regular Proceedings , were near one half of the whole Clergy , as I am told ; especially , in the W. and North , and remoter Parts : 't is beyond the Power of Words to express their Misery , to that degree as they suffer it .

A good while ago , a Minister , who has the Reputation of a very sober and prudent Man , was Assaulted in his House in the Night time ; and getting out , was forced to fly almost naked to a worthy Gentleman's House to save his Life : The Gentleman was Sir J. D. whom I heard relate the story . Since that , frequent Assaults and Violences have been committed upon very many . One that Married a Relation of a Bishop , was set upon in his House , he dragg'd out into the Ditches , his Books burnt or spoiled , and his poor Wise ( at that time in Child-bed ) miserably abused . Another , I am told ( tho' I cannot affirm it for certain who did it , tho' he was threatned by his Neighbours ) was found dead , wounded in several places , and Excrements upon his Face , a most inhumane unchristian Barbarity . Many came flying into England : I have relieved several , and here were with me , two within this week , who confirm what I write , and assure me of many like Instances , which are better forgot , than mentioned : Their Places were about 50 or 60 l. per Annum , as most are in Scotland ; they have Wives and 5 or 6 small Children each ; debts in their Parishes to above 100 l. each , besides Houshold Stuff ; yet are forc'd to fly , and seek for Compassion in another Nation . Some has Petition'd for Protection for some time , that their flight may not be in the Winter ; but if the Magistrates had allowed it , the Rabble would not .

That which is most Remarkable , and indeed most Calamitous is , that those that have complyed and read the Proclamation , as one of these I mention had done ; yet they had no better usage , than those that did not . For some of the Cameronians or Mountaineers , sent them a discharge , as not fit to Preach : So they have them at this Dilemma ; if they comply not , they are Seditious ; and if they do , they are Hypocrites ; and so they must unavoidably be undone . This is general , and the reason is , because they have Episcopal Orders and Institution ; and must make room for the Presbyterians , when they have a number able to sill all their Churches ; for at present ( except at their Market-Towns ) they are at a great want . In some Counties in the S. W. some Churches have had no Divine-service in them , for above a Year ; many not for 6 , 5 , 4 , 3 Months . And of late , since some care has been had of them , one has 4 , 5 , 6 , or 7 Parishes to look after , which are supplied by turns . The Ministers they allow , are either the old ejected Presbyterians in 60 , or some from Ireland , Holland , &c. of the same Principles , who Preach publickly , while the Episcopal Divines dare not appear two together , scarce alone , in many places ; and are reviled by the ordinary People ; but yet the Nobility , Gentry , and the better sort of the commonalty , have both a great respect for their Persons and Functions , and extreamly commiserate their Condition . I hear that the Bishops , and the principal Clergy of Edenburg , abscond ; and such is their Affection to the Church of England , that to comfort their Souls in so sad an Affliction , as they are in ; they receiv'd the Blessed Sacrament according to the English Liturgy , not long since . And as they hope Prayers are offered to God for them by their Brethren and others of our Church , that some means may be found for their Relief , in his Good Time and Way ; so , I know , 't is part of their Devotions at the Throne of Grace , that God would preserve our Constitution entire , and not suffer our sins to be our ruine , nor the designs of our Enemies , to take effect against us . I should be tedious , should I tell you , what I hear for certain ; they talk and preach with Relation to our Church-Government , that God would pull down that Anti-Christian Hierarchy that is set up amongst us , and restore us to the like Glorious Liberty , &c. But supposing these Expressions to be the effects of their Zeal , rather than any way encouraged by Authority , I shall look on them as insignificant : Only I could wish , that there were no Features in the present face of things , that encourag'd such sad Prognostications ; they cannot but observe how some Favourers of their Cause amongst us , qualify themselves by communicating with us ; and ever after , frequent ( as they have always done ) separate Congregations . But these things are above my reach , and I shall not meddle with them . The Clergy that fly into England , are very kindly receiv'd by the Clergy here ; and where they can get a small Place , they conform exactly in all particulars ; 〈◇〉 't is not want of Affection to the present Establishment , that makes them so much hated and revil'd , by 〈◇〉 inferiour sort , the beasts of the People , in their own Countrey .

Thus I haven give you a thousand I hope , a faithful Account of what I am assur'd of concerning the Episcopal Clergy , in the Neighbouring Kingdom : If any desire father satisfaction in so deplorable a Matter ; those that are so unhappy , as to bear a Part in the sufferings , may be best able to Relate their Condition : For I have that Opinion of their Learning , Piety , and Worth , that as their Troubles for Conscience sake , are not unlike those of the Primitive Christians ; so , were the Ear of Caesar open to them , they want not of their worn Body , a Justin , a Tertullian , or an Athenagoras , to Apologize and Intercede for them . I am Sir ,