21, to answer for
transgressing the law of his confinement, &c. When he compeared, he
pleaded the favour granted him by his majesty when in Denmark, and
withal purged himself of the accusation laid against him, and yet
notwithstanding of all these (said he), the king hath exhausted both my
estate and person, and has left me nothing but my life, and that
apparently he is seeking; I am prepared to suffer any punishment, only I
am careful not to suffer as a malefactor or evil doer.----A warrant was
delivered to him to enter in ward in the castle of Edinburgh, where he
continued till the first January; the bishops absented from the council
that day, however they were his delators. He was again brought before
the council, where the king's will was intimate to him, _viz._ That he
should return to his own house until the 21st of April, and then
transport himself again to Inverness, and remain within four miles
thereof during the king's pleasure.

Here he remained, for the most part, until September 1624, when he
obtained licence again to return from his confinement to settle some of
his domestic affairs; the condition of his licence was so strait, that
he purposed with himself to return back to Inverness, but in the mean
time the king died, and so he was not urged to go back to his
confinement; and although king Charles I. did again renew this charge
against him some years after this, yet he continued mostly in his own
house, preaching and teaching wherever he had occasion.

About this time the parish of Larber, having neither church nor stipend,
Mr. Bruce repaired the church and discharged all the parts of the
ministry there, and many besides the parish attended upon his ministry
at that place with great success; and it would appear, that about this
time Mr. Henderson then minister at Leuchars, (afterward the famous
Henderson) was at first converted by his ministry.

At this place it was his custom after the first sermon to retire by
himself some time for private prayer, and on a time some noblemen who
had far to ride, sent the beadle to learn if there was any appearance
of his coming in;--the man returned, saying, I think he shall not come
out this day, for I overheard him say to another, "I protest, I will not
go unless thou goest with me." However, in a little time he came,
accompanied by no man, but in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel
of Christ; for his very speech was with much evidence and demonstration
of t