Capture of Covenanting Town of Dumfries. 39 



Thus far we have followed the proceedhigs of the civil 

 authority, and now the Church's action calls for remark. The 

 Church claimed and exercised spiritual independence (of which 

 we have heard a good deal of late), both in legislation and ad- 

 ministration. The delinquents whose names we have seen con- 

 tained in the Acts of Parliament occur also in the i-ecords of the 

 Presb}tery of Dumfries. They were not before the Presbytery 

 with a view to further punishment, but to make confession of their 

 faults, repent, and receive the Church's absolution. There is a 

 noticeable difference in the terms used in the discipline following 

 on the battle of Philiphaugh and that relating to the capture and 

 recapture of Dumfries. In the first, reference is made to the 

 .shedding of blood; in the second, no such expression is used, 

 showing, I think, that Dumfries was taken and re-taken without 

 blood.shed. The case of Sir John Charteris of Amisfield illus- 

 trates the form used following on the engagement at Philiphaugh. 

 He appeared before the General Assembly, and was remitted to 

 the Presbytery to "satisfy." 



" 27th April, 1647. — The brethren reported that Sir John 

 Charteris of Amisfield, Knight, had compeired before the 

 Assembly last holden, and had acknowledged his heinous offence 

 in violating, and in the breach of the great oath of God, taken 

 by him in the National Covenant and Mutual I-eague and Cove- 

 nant ; and in his joining in the late rebellion, and his being 

 accessory to the shedding of the blood of the people of God, 

 which his confession, being made in all humilitv before the 

 Assembly, so far as men could discern, as his autograph ordained 

 to be received will testify, and the foresaid Assembly had ordained 

 him to satisfy for his scandalous offence in the Church of Dum- 

 fries, in a seat in front of the pulpit, and that there ' genibus 

 flexis ' he should make the former declaration ; and sike-like in 

 his own parish kirk of Tinwald, and that at Tinwald the minister, 

 Mr Humphry Hood, receive him according to the fore-mentioned 

 order and ordnance." 



The procedure following on the taking of Dumfries is illus- 

 trated in the case of James Maxwell of Breconside : — 



" Apud Dumfries, 25 January, 1648. — Compeired James 

 Maxwell of Breconside, brother to my Lord Herries, and acknow- 

 ledged that at James Grahame's invasion and taking of Dumfries 



