CAM 300 



and In his literary pursuits, he, at great expence, col- 

 lected an extensive library. 



At length, in the full enjoyment of public and pri- 

 vate estimation, he died in the year 1624-, aged 87. 

 An epitaph, written by himself in these words, is re- 

 markable for its simplicity : " Aliiforsitan alia, nos 

 nihil aliud." See Schelhorn de vita, fatis ac meritis 

 Philippi Camerarii, 1740/ and Camerarius Relatio 

 de Captivitate sua Romano, (c) 



CAMERONIANS, a Presbyterian sect in Scot- 

 land, which arose in the persecuting times of Charles 

 II. They derived their name from one Richard Ca- 

 meron, a young clergyman, who, having received 

 ordination in Holland, where he had gone previous 

 to the affair at Bothwel, returned to his native coun- 

 try, became a zealous and a popular field preacher, 

 took an active part in the opposition, which was then 

 made to the oppressive measures of the king, and 

 was at last killed, along with several of his adherents, 

 in an engagement which took place between them 

 and the royal troops at Airsmoss, in the year 1680. 

 When government found, that the Presbyterians could 

 not be subdued into conformity, by the harsh and 

 tyrannical measures which had hitherto been employ- 

 ed, it was agreed to attempt the same object by gen- 

 tle methods ; and for this- purpose, an indulgence, as 

 it has been called, was granted by the king's autho- 

 rity, in 1669, to such of the ejected ministers as had 

 ** lived peaceably and orderly." They were allow- 

 ed to return to their respective parishes, and exercise 

 their professional functions ; and patrons were at li- 

 berty to present them to vacant churches. But the 

 act was clogged with certain reservations and restric- 

 tions, which rendered the indulgence very disagree- 

 able to men of scrupulous consciences. A second 

 indulgence was issued by the lords of council, in 

 1672, holding out similar liberties, and qualified by 

 similar conditions. Of these acts many took advan- 

 tage, without feeling themselves chargeable with any 

 violation of their covenant engagements. Many, too, 

 who considered them as an encroachment on their re- 

 ligious rights, accepted of the boon which they of- 

 fered, with a declared exception to their legality, 

 and satisfied themselves with giving an open testimo- 

 ny against the Erastian power, exhibited in the acts 

 of the council, and the ecclesiastical supremacy 

 which had been exercised by the king. There were 

 several, however, who peremptorily refused compli- 

 ance upon any terms, and resisted every effort that 

 was made to procure their submission. These were 

 the persons afterwards denominated Cameronians. 

 They conceived that such compliance necessarily in- 

 volved an acknowledgment of the power, which the 

 civil rulers claimed to give or withhold at pleasure 

 their unalienable privileges, and consequently a de- 

 reliction of those principles which they were bound 

 to maintain, both from a regard to Christ, the only 

 head of the church, and from a regard to the so- 

 lemn vows which they had taken before the world ; 

 and therefore they determined, whatever might be 

 the consequences of their conduct, to separate from 

 their conforming .brethren, and struggle with the 

 hardships and difficulties of their situation, till Pro- 

 vidence should bring them deliverance. To the per- 

 secution, which, in consequence of their disobedi- 



CAM 



ence, they had reason to expect, they were soon sub- Camero- 

 jected. The most arbitrary and vexatious proceed- 

 ings were instituted against them. And such op- 

 pressions were practised, and such punishments in- 

 flicted, as were sufficient to instigate and to justify 

 that rebellious spirit, which they afterwards display- 

 ed. It is very easy, as it is very common, to stig- 

 matise these people with the epithets, fanatical and 

 seditious ; and it is not to be denied, that, in some 

 instances, they went farther than either prudence or 

 duty could warrant. But if we say this of men who 

 were comparatively unenlightened, whose consciences 

 were insulted in the nicest points, and who were 

 hunted like beasts of prey, because they would not 

 become the worst^of slaves to the worst of masters, 

 what language should be held with respect to the 

 rulers whom they opposed rulers who, by deeds of 

 folly, injustice, and inhumanity, the most abominable 

 in our national records, drove them into extremities, 

 which they would otherwise have abhorred, and by 

 which they must have been more certain of entailing 

 misery upon themselves, than of giving any serious 

 uneasiness to their oppressors ? The Cameronians 

 undoubtedly were intolerant, and gave harsh names 

 and illiberal treatment even to the Presbyterians, 

 whose general sentiments corresponded with their 

 own, but from whom they found it necessary to se- 

 parate. The charge of intolerance, however, should 

 not be brought against them, by the admirers of 

 Charles or of James. Their violent attachment to 

 the reformation rights and the solemn covenants, may 

 appear, to superficial thinkers, an expression of great 

 weakness and ignorant zeal ; but a very moderate at- 

 tachment to these objects, which certainly contained 

 the leading principles of liberty, was at that period 

 equivalent to no attachment at all ; neither indicative 

 of sincerity, nor fitted to accomplish any substantial 



food. And, however much some of us may con- 

 emn, and others of us lament their excesses, both 

 in doctrine and in practice, it is not very difficult to 

 trace some connection between those very excesses, 

 and the religious liberty which we enjoy a connec- 

 tion well calculated to soften our censure, and dimi- 

 nish our regret. 



The Cameronians became more united, systematic, 

 and explicit in their views, in the year 1680 ; and in 

 the following year, they began to form themselves 

 into societies, and to have quarterly, or more fre- 

 quent meetings, as circumstances permitted ; and 

 toot the name of The Societies United in Corre- 

 spondence. A paper was found on Mr Hall of 

 Haughhead, at Queensferry, (called from that the 

 Queensferry Paper,) containing the principal tenets 

 of that sect ; but containing also some expressions 

 and sentiments, to which as a body they did not give 

 their assent. They particularly disavowed the as- 

 sumption of magistratical authority, to which the 

 authors of it had ventured to lay claim. The tenour 

 of this paper, and the conduct of a few people in at- 

 tempting to rescue Mr Hall, provoked the council 

 to issue a proclamation, granting power, among other 

 things, to seize suspected persons, and mentioning 

 Mr Richard Cameron and others by name. These 

 having now completely broken off from the rest of 

 the Presbyterian ministers and others, who would 



