have been his regard for the old Covenant of his youth, he was set as a
rock against the men who were now as much opposed to any moderate
observance of Presbyterian worship as the most inveterate Malignant at
Whitehall.

The first Indulgence was passed in 1669, in favour of the ministers whom
the Act of 1662 had driven from their parishes. Such as had since that
time kept from open violation of the law were now to be reinstated in
their livings where vacant. The manse and the glebe were to be theirs as
formerly, but the stipend was not to be renewed. These terms were
accepted by some forty or fifty clergymen. By the advice of the gentle
Leighton, who almost alone among his brethren seems at this time to have
dared, or to have been even willing, to counsel tolerance, a deputation,
nicknamed "the Bishop's Evangelists," was sent into the West to preach
the doctrine of this Indulgence. The pious crusade was in vain. The
failure of the Pentland rising and its terrible sequel had turned those
stubborn hearts to madness. Their weaker brethren were now classed with
the apostate Sharp and the butcher Dalziel; and the Indulgence was
declared a snare for the soul far more deadly than any torture the
Government could devise for the body. Nor, if time could have
strengthened Leighton's hands, was time allowed him. Following close
upon the Indulgence came a fresh Act, now making not only all
field-preaching a capital offence, but even laying heavy penalties on
any exercise of the Presbyterian worship except under an Indulged
minister. This again was soon followed by a fresh law against
Intercommuning--that is to say, against all who should offer even the
simplest act of common charity to a Covenanter--and promising large
rewards to all who should give information against them or their
protectors. By this law it is said that thousands of both sexes,
including many persons of rank, suffered severely; and from it sprang a