appeared at noon day at his birth; he was a great mathematician, chemist,
and mechanick, and wrought oft in the laboratories himselfe; he had a
natural mildnesse and command over his anger, which never transported him
beyond an innocent puff and spitting, and was soon over, and yet commanded
more deference from his people than if he had expressed it more severely,
so great respect had all to him. His clemencie was admirable, witnesse his
sparing 2 of Oliver Cromwell's sones, tho on of them had usurped his
throne. His firmnesse in religion was evident; for in his banishment he had
great invitations and offers of help to restore him to his croun if he
would turne Papist, but he always refused it. As for his brother James, now
our present King, he is of that martiall courage and conduct, that the
great General Turenne was heard say, if he ware to conquer the world, he
would choise the Duke of York to command his army,' Such were Lander's
loyal sentiments, as set down in a private journal a year before his
servants and clerks were arrested, and the seizure of his papers
threatened. But his Protestantism and his jealousy of Popery were equally
strong. In 1680 he notes that the minister of Wells in Nithsdale had
'turned Roman Catholic: so this is one of the remarkable trophees and
spoils the Papists are beginning to gain upon our religion.' A little
further on he is indignant at ridicule being thrown on the Popish Plot 'Not
only too many among ourselves, but the French, turned the Plot into matter
of sport and laughter: for at Paris they acted in ther comedy, called
Scaramucchio, the English tryall, and busked up a dog in a goune lik Chief
Justice Scrogs.' Again, 'A Papist qua Papist cannot be a faithful subject,'
He had, however, no sympathy with the Covenanters, a name which he does not
use, but he describes them as 'praecise phanaticks.' He did not consider it
unjust to bring them to capital punishment, because they denied the right
of the king to govern, though on grounds of humanity and policy he was
inclined to mercy. In 1682 he observes on the execution of Alexander Home,
a small gentleman of the Merse, who had commanded a party at the