388 PRESTONPANS [PRESB. OF
secure part of the benefices for himself.
The Regent was deeply offended. Printer
and poet were put in prison. On his
liberation, he lay hid for a time at
Kinzeaneleugh, Ayrshire, the residence
of his friend Robert Campbell. He then
retired to the Continent, where he remained
for about three years. In 1577, at the
urgent solicitation of the General Assembly,
Morton permitted his return, and in 1579
he became min. of Liberton. In June
1581, Morton being under sentence of death
was visited by Davidson. Going for a time
to London, he becameknown at the English
Court, and from the earnest style of his
preaching was called " the thunderer."
Returning, he did not resume his charge at
Liberton, but officiated in various places.
and acted as min. of the Second Charge of
Holyrood. In 1595 he became min. of this
charge, and built a church and manse at
his own expense. He vigorously resented
the proposal that certain of the clergy
should sit and vote in Parliament, and
words that he then uttered were often
repeated :
"Busk him, busk him as bonnily
as ye can, and bring him in as fairly as
ye will, we see him well eneuch, we see
the horns of his mitre." He was sum-
moned before the King at Holyrood,
and committed to Edinburgh Castle, but
released, and allowed to return home,
though interdicted from going beyond the
bounds of his parish. He died in Sept.
1604. He left a widow (name unknown).
His effects were devoted to the support of
the school which he founded. Publications
—Ant Breif Commendation of Upright-
ness (Sanct And., 1573); Dialogue betwixt
a Cleric and a Courteour (Sanct And.,
1573: D. Bancroft's Rashnes in rayling
against the Church of Scotland (Edin-
burgh, 1590); Memorial of the Life arid
Death ofRobert Campbell of Kinzeaneleugh,
and his Wife (Edinburgh, 1595); Some
HeVpesfor Young Scholars in Christianity
(Edinburgh, 1602); Discoverie of the Un-
natural and Traitorous Conspiracy of
Scottish Papists (Preface), (Edinburgh,
1593); His Apologie and Several Letters
(Calderwood's Hist., v., vi.) ; Short Form
of Morning and Evening Prayer, etc.
(Wodrow Miscell.). His Poems were re-
printed in 1829. He wrote also Memorials
of his Time, a diary of which Calderwood
made use in his History.—[Row's, Calcler-
wood
:
s, and Cunningham's Hists. ; Acts
Pari., iv. ; Wodroto Miscell., Livingston's
Charac, Booke of the Kirk; M'Crie's
Melville, ii. ; Rogers' Three Scottish Re-
formers, Diet. Xat. Biog.~]
JOHX KER, born 1576, son of Andrew
160_ K. of Faldonside, a cadet of the
house of Roxburghe, and Margaret
Stewart, widow of John Knox. Had
been a gay youth returned from France
when he was accosted by the preceding
incumbent, who solemnly charged him to
cast off his scarlet cloak, lay aside his
gilded rapier, and take to his book, for "you
are the man who will be minister of this
place after me." He graduated M.A. at the
Univ. of Edinburgh, 28th July 1596, and
wasadm. 11th April 1605. He sympathised
with the brethren imprisoned at Linlithgow
in 1606, previous to their trial and banish-
ment ; signed the Protestation for the
Liberties of the Kirk 27th June 1617 ; was
confined within the bounds of his own
parish by the Privy Council, 24th June
1624, for disobedience to the Articles of
Perth. He was requested by the par-
ishioners, 13th Oct. 1637, to petition
against The Book of Common Prayer
for the Kirk of Scotland; dem. 7th June
1642, in favour of his son as assistant,
with reservation in case of himself surviv-
ing, of "right of regress," and died 16th
Feb. 1644. He marr. Aug. 1605, Barbara,
daugh. and co-heiress of John Johnston of
Elvingston, burgess of Edinburgh, and had
issue— Andrew, advocate, successively
Depute and Principal Clerk of Assembly,
died Feb. 1670 ; Robert, his successor
;
John; Margaret; Jean; Elizabeth.
—
[Edin.
Guild Reg.; Row's, Calderwood's, and
Stevenson's Hists. ; Orig. Lett., ii. ; M'Crie's
Knox, Livingston's Life and Charac, Hope's
Diary ; Inq. Ret. Edin., 234.]
ROBERT KER, M.A. ; ord. (assistant)
11th April 1638 (the first ordination
in Scotland, irrespective of the
Bishop, since the reintroduction of Bishops