ourageous
than the rest stept forward to him, and, after intreating him to remove
peaceably, took his horse by the bridle, pulled out a pistol, and told
him, He would shoot him dead if he was not silent: And whether he would
or would not, he was there compelled to sit on horseback till public
worship was over, after which he had his liberty to go where he pleased.
Upon the back of this horrid insult (as the persecutors were pleased to
call it), upon the 11th of Aug. a decreet was obtained by the king's
advocate against Mr. Dickson, Mr. Blackadder and several other
ministers, wherein they were charged with holding conventicles in houses
and in fields, and being after citation called and not compearing, they
were in absence denounced and put to the horn, which obliged them to
wander up and down the country, sometimes preaching in the fields where
they had opportunity.

And thus continued Mr. Dickson in the midst of imminent hazards: For, by
virtue of a new modelled council June 4th, 1764. there were orders to
send out parties in quest of all conventicle preachers (as they were
called, who accepted not of the indulgence), amongst whom were Mess.
Dickson, Welch, and Blackadder, &c. 400 pounds sterling were offered
for Mr. Welch, and 1000 merks for Mr. Dickson and each of the rest. Nay,
the soldiers were indemnified and their assistants, if any slaughter was
committed in apprehending them, in case any resistance was made. By
which Mr. Dickson was exposed unto new dangers, but yet he escaped their
fury for some time.

But after Bothwel-battle the persecution becoming still hotter, and the
searches more frequent, he was apprehended in 1680.; and being brought
in to Edinburgh prisoner by some of the guard, under caution to answer
before the council Sep. 1st. Accordingly the council ordered him to be
sent to the Bass, where he continued to be prisoner near the space of
eleven years.

While he was prisoner in the Bass he wrote a most excellent letter to
some friends, wherein he not only bewails and laments the apostacy of
these lands from God, &c. demanding what our noble Scots worthies
would think or say, were they then alive to behold the same, but also
gives many practical and suitable directions how to behave in following
Christ, and owning his cause under the cross, and walking in the furnace
of affliction and tribulation, &c.

After he got out of the Bass, he returned very early at the revolution
back to his flock at R