urn him over until he himself
should put over his shoulders, which, after praying a little in private
he did, saying, "O Lord, into thy hands I commit my spirit, for thou
hast redeemed my soul, O Lord God of truth." And thus in the 26th year
of his age he died, as he lived, in the Lord.

His death was so much lamented by the on-lookers and spectators, that
there was scarce a dry cheek seen in all the streets and windows about
the cross of Edinburgh, at the time of his execution. A late historian
gives him this character, that "he was a youth of 26 years of age,
universally beloved, singularly pious, of very considerable learning; he
had seen the world, and travelled[146] some years abroad, and was a very
comely and graceful person. I am told, saith he, that he used to fast
one day every week, and had frequently, before this, signified to his
friends his impression of such a death as he now underwent. His share in
the rising was known to be but small; and when he spoke of his comfort
and joy in his death, heavy were the groans of those present."

_The Life of Mr. JOHN NEVAY._

Mr. John Nevay was licensed and ordained a minister (in the time of
Scotland's purest reformation) and settled at Newmills in the parish of
Loudon; and was, besides his soundness in the faith, shining piety in
conversation, and great diligence in attending all the parts of his
ministerial function, particularly church-judicatories, one who was also
very zealous in contending against several steps of defection, which
were contrary to the work of reformation carried on in that period.
Thus,

When the earl of Callender and major-general Middleton were cruelly
harassing the covenanters, and well affected people in the west of
Scotland, because they would not join in the duke of Hamilton's unlawful
engagement in war against England, (which was a manifest breach of the
solemn league and covenant), Mr. Nevay was one of those ministers and
other well-affected people, who were assembled at the celebration of our
Lord's supper at Machlin-muir, in the month of June 1648, where
opposition (in their own defence) was made to the said Calender and
Middleton's forces, who attacked them there upon the last day of that
solemnity.[147]

Again, when that pretended assembly held at Edinburgh and St. Andrews
_anno_ 1651, did approve and ratify the public resolutions, in bringing
in the justly excluded malignants into places of public power and trust,
in ju