d his being at Pentland, and insisted on his being at
Bothwel. The lords found his libel relevant, and for probation they
refer to his own confession before the council: John Paton in
Meadow-head in Finwick, that he was taken in the parish of Mearns, in
the house of Robert Howie in Floack, and that he haunted ordinarily in
the fields and muirs, confesses that he was moved by the country people
to go out in the year 1666, commanded a party at Pentland, confesses
that he joined with the rebels at Glasgow, about eight days before the
engagement, commanded a party at Bothwel, &c. The assize had no more
to cognize upon, but his own confession, yet brought him in guilty. The
Lords condemned him to be hanged at the grass-market of Edinburgh on
Wednesday the 23d of April. But, by other accounts he was charged before
the council for being a rebel since the year 1640; his being an opposer
of Montrose; his being at Mauchlin muir, &c.

He was prevailed on to petition the council, upon which he was respited
to the 30th, and from that to May 9th, when he suffered according to his
sentence. And no doubt, Dalziel was as good as his word.--For it is said
that he obtained a reprieve for him from the king; but that coming to
the hands of bishop Paterson, was kept up by him, till he was executed,
which enraged the general not a little. It seems that they had a mind to
spare him, but as he observed in his last speech, the prelates put an
effectual stop to that. In the last eight days that he lived, he got a
room by himself, that he might more conveniently prepare for death,
which was a favour at that time granted him above many others.

What his conduct or deportment at the place of execution was, we are now
at a loss to know, only we must believe it was such as well became such
a valiant servant and soldier of Jesus Christ, an evidence of which we
have in his last speech and dying testimony wherein among other things
he says, "You are come here to look on me a dying man, and you need not
expect that I shall say much, for I was never a great orator or eloquent
of tongue, though I may say as much to the commendation of God in Christ
Jesus, as ever a poor sinner had to say, &c.--I bless the Lord I am not
come here as a thief or murderer, and I am free of the blood of all men
and hate bloodshed directly or indirectly, and now I am a poor sinner;
and never could merit any thing but wrath: and I have no righteousness
of my own, all is Jesus Chri