An Account of Simprin, Berwickshire, by Jas. Hardy. 305 



At the Reformation, the Ecclesiastical history of the Parish, 

 becomes separate from the Civil. For this section . I am mainly 

 indebted to the Kev. Hew Scott's list in the Fasti Ecclesiee Scoti- 

 cance, to which I have added particulars from other sources. By 

 the arrangement of 1574, Fishwick, ISwinton, Whitsome, and 

 Simprin were united. " Sempreyn," then vacant, was to be 

 supplied by a " reidare" ; and the emolument was " 1 ch. victuale, 

 etc."* Thomas Watson was reader in 1576 ; and James Symp- 

 son from 1578 to 1580. 



MINISTERS. 

 1. Thomas Boner, A.M. ; located at Auldcambus in 1599, and continued 

 in 1601 ; was presented, 7th Feb. 1606, by James VI., to the vicarage of 

 Simprin and Auldcambus ; he died before April 7th, 1632. 



2 John Macmath, A.M. ; laureated at the University of Edinburgh, July 

 24th, 1619 ; was presented to Simprin by Charles L, April 7th, 1632. He 

 was deposed by his Presbytery, Sept 4th, 1638 ; and the sentence was ap- 

 proved, and ratified by the General Assembly, Dec. 11th, for teaching 

 Arminian doctrines ; — " prayers for the dead, invocation of saints, Christ's 

 local descent into hell, the damnation of children without baptism ; declaring 

 he wou d say mass if the king commanded it ; and for deserting his flock, 

 and declining his presbytery. "t In Peterkin's "Records," he is called 

 McNaught, and all the authorities mistaking his presbytery for his charge, 

 style him minister of Chirnside ; whereas Mr Alexander Smyth continued 

 there till June 3d, 1645. On June 21st, 1661, Mr John McMath, minister at 

 the kirk of Simpren, being one of those " known to have been weele affected 

 and loyal persons, and great sufferers for the king," had £100 sterling 

 allotted to him by Parliament, to be paid out of the Vacant Stipends. :£ 



3 Robert Melvill son of Sir James Melvill of Ha lhill, Fifeshire. In 

 Nov. 1629, he was assistant to Mr Robert Colvill, minister at Culross. He 

 was strongly opposed to episcopacy, and one day took occasion to attack 

 the bishop of Dumblane, from the pulpit, who, in a more Christian frame 

 than himself had gone to listen to him, having heard "much of his learning, 

 zeall, painfullnesse." For this affront, the bishop " discharged him to 

 preach againe yit shortlie after, he was content to oversee and misken him, 

 albeit said he) I know the rest of the bishops will be discontent with me ''§ 

 He was admitten to Simprin previous to Oct. lith, 1641, when he was pre- 

 sented by Charles I He made his will, dated at Sempreng, September 9th, 

 1644, being then " sent furthe to serve in my calling to the Armye lyinge 

 about Newcastle "|| In this expedition, he incurred a debt to Mr Alexander 



* Wodrow Miscellany, p. 373. 



f Stevenson's Church Hist, p 337, Baillie's Letters, i., p. 138, Gordon's 



Hist, of Scots Affairs, ii., p. 143, Peterkin's Records of the Kirk, p. 172. 



X Acts Pari. Scot, vii., Append., p. 78. 



§ Row's Hist, of the Kirk, pp. 349, 350. Stevenson's Hist. p. 117. 



|| Scottish Journal of Topography, etc., ii., pp. 205, 206. 



