the original Remonstrance and author of a seditious pamphlet called "The
Causes of the Lord's Wrath." With him would probably have suffered
Samuel Rutherford, a minister as zealous as Guthrie, but of more
education and manners. Fortunately for him, he died before the reign of
punishment began; and the Government was forced to content itself with
ordering his book "Lex, Rex," to be burned by the hangman at the Cross
of Edinburgh and at the gate of the University of Saint Andrews, where
he had been Professor of Divinity. In 1662, an Act of Indemnity was made
law, by which future punishment for the past was adjusted by a scale of
fines.

Close on the heels of the Act of Indemnity followed one demanding from
all persons holding any office of public trust a public abjuration of
the Covenant, and another requiring all clergymen who had been appointed
since 1649 to receive collation from the bishop of their diocese. Those
who did not obey were, after a short respite, expelled from their
parishes. Those who obeyed were regarded by their congregations as
backsliders and self-seekers. Three hundred and fifty ministers were
driven with their families from their homes in the depth of winter; and
to supply their places new ministers were appointed, popularly known as
the King's Curates. Another Act required attendance at the parish church
on penalty of a fine graduated according to the rank of the absentee.
Finally, to crown all, the Solemn League and Covenant was publicly
burned at the market-cross of Edinburgh; and an aggravated copy of the
English Five-mile Act against Non-jurors, known as the Mile Act, was
passed, prohibiting all recusant clergymen from residing within twenty
miles of their old parishes, within six miles of Edinburgh or any
cathedral town, and within three miles of any royal burgh. The
punishment for transgressing this law was to be the same as that for
sedition.