PRESBYTERY OF SELKIRK p. 556

MAXTON.

The church was dedicated to St. Cuthbert, and previous to the Reformation belonged to the Abbey of Dryburgh. It was supplied by WILLIAM AINSLIE, reader, from 1574 to 1579.

1593. JOHN SMYTHE, A.M., removed from Mertoun, he was a member of the Assembly 1602, and appointed with two others for visiting the kirks of Nithsdale and Annandale. In 1607 he was called before the Privy Council for acting as Clerk to the Synod, who disobeyed the Acts of Assembly 1606 regarding a constant Moderator, and was charged to enter into ward at Blackness within forty-eight hours. He signed the Protest, with fifty-four others, for the liberties of the Kirk 27th June 1617, and was cited before the Court of High Commission in 1622; through the intercession of a friend, however, he was not called. He continued in 1631, but died before 26th May 1634, aged about 70, in 49th min. He bequeathed £72 for the use of the parish, and was one of those accounted “eminent for grace and gifts, or faithfulness and success." It is related of him that " he had all the Psalms by heart, and used at meals to repeat one, or if it was long, a part. When meeting young men intended for the ministry, he used gravely to exhort, and heartily to bless them."-[Booke of the Kirk, Calderwood's Hist., Reg. Assig., Sec. ,Sigill., and Pres. (Caut.), Presb. Reg., New St. Acc. iii., Melvill's Autob., Livingston's Charac., &c.]

1634. PATRICK LYNDLSAY, A.M., was laureated at the Univ. of St. Andrews in 1627, pres. by Charles I. 26th May 1634. He gave xx li for building the Library in the Univ. of Glasgow 25th May 1636, and was under process in 1639 for gross Popery and Arminianism, there not being a point in the doctrines of either which he had not maintained in the most obnoxious manner.-[Act. Rect. Univ. St. And., Reg. Sec. Sigill., and Pres., Mun. Univ. Glasg. iii., Peterkin's Records, Stevenson's Hist.]

1640. ANDREW DUNCANSONE, A.M., son of Mr Andrew D. min. of Lessudden, took his degree at the Univ. of Edinburgh 23d July 1631; he was put on the Exercise at Haddington 21st Sept. 1636, having brought a testimonial from Melrose, he had another from Haddington 14th Nov. 1638, and was adm. 16th July 1640; was on the Commission of the Assemblies 1642, 1645, 1648, and 1649. Not conforming to Episcopacy he was confined to his parish in 1662. He marr. Mary Knox, who died 15th May 1697. He had a son, John, and a daugh., Mary.[Reg. Laur. Univ. Edin., Sess., Haddingt., and Jedburgh, and Chirnside Presb., and Lothian 'Syn. Reg., Acts of Ass., Wodrow's Hist.]

1683. PATRICK STRACHAN, A.M., a native of Aberdeen, attained his degree at the Univ. and King's College there in 1656; deprived by the Privy Council 8th Oct. 1689 for not reading the Proclamation of the Estates, and not praying for their Majesties William and Mary. -[Fasti Aberd., MS. Acc. of Min. 1689, Peterkin's Constitut. of the Church, &c.]

1690. ROBERT EDGAR, was a min. at the general meeting of Presbyterians, after their Indulgence 6th July 1687, called in Nov. and adm. 10th Dec. 1690; he was a. member of the Assembly 1692, and died 13th Dec. 1713, in his 89th year, and 24th min. He marr. and