8. That the land might be more deeply soaked with blood, and made more
heavily to groan under the inhabitants thereof, "Who had transgressed
the laws, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant;"
that the scene of cruel suffering might be more widely opened, and the
bloody tragedy more effectually acted; the primate's death must now be
added to the other pretended crimes of the sufferers. Many were terribly
harrassed on that account, who were no ways concerned in the action; and
some were cruelly tortured and butchered by them for the same cause,
though innocent thereof (for none of the actors did ever fall into their
hands). These enemies were hereby rendered more rude, barbarous and
hard-hearted to all the sufferers who afterward fell into their hands,
and breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the whole body of
the persecuted Presbyterians through the nation. All this, however, did
not dispirit these zealous witnesses, or discourage them from attending
to their work and duty; for we find them on the 29th of _May_, 1679,
publishing their testimony at _Rutherglen_, against the wicked
anniversary, on the same day appointed by the court for its celebration,
and against all that had been done publicly by these enemies of CHRIST
for the overthrow of his work and interest in the lands.
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