landing in Lochaber, joined the marquis in Athole. He marched southward with the army, maintaining, however, a strictly civil character, and was taken
prisoner at Philiphaugh, where, it is said, he had only his walking cane in his hand. He was carried, along with some other prisoners of distinction, to St Andrews, and tried before the Parliament, on a charge of high treason. His defence was allowed to have been masterly, but a conviction was inevitable. He was condemned to be beheaded by the maiden, which was brought from Dundee for the purpose. "In his railing discourse to the people on the scaffold (says Row in his life of Robert Blair), among other things he said that the saddest judgment of God upon people at this time was, that the Lord had sent out a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets, and that their ministers, that should lead them to heaven, were leading them the highway to hell. Mr Blair stand-
ing by him, as he was appointed by the commission of the Kirk, in answer to this, only said, 'It's no wonder to hear the son of a false prophet speak so of the faithful and honest servants of Jesus Christ;' which did so enrage the proud and impenitent spirit of Spotswood, that he died raging and railing against Christ's honest and faithful ministers, and his covenanted people." It was in. declining the offer of Blair to pray for his soul that Sir Robert used the language which provoked the covenanter's stern rebuke, pointed with a sarcasm which might certainly have been spared on such an occasion. But the reproach
and the retaliation illustrate the spirit of the times. Spotswood's biographer says his last words were "Merciful Jesu, gather my soul unto thy saints and martyrs, who have run before me in this race." This writer accuses "the fanatical minister of the place" of having incited the provost to. prevent Sir Robert from addressing the people on the scaffold. A similar story is repeated in the Spottiswoode Miscellany, where, however, it is stated that Sir Robert "inveighed much against the Parliament of England," which is not consistent
with the assertion that he was prevented from speaking to the spectators. The execution took place at the cross of St Andrews, January 17, 1646. Other two prisoners suffered along with Spotswood, namely, Nathaniel Gordon, who recanted his episcopacy, and died as a member of the Kirk, and Andrew Guthrie, "who died stupidly and impenitently." Of Spotswood and Guthrie, Row observes characteristically, "These two were bishops' sons; mali corvi malum movum."
Sir Robert Spotswood was well skilled in the Hebrew, Chaldaic, Syriac, and Arabic languages, besides his acquaintance with most of the modern European tongues. He was a profound lawyer, and an upright judge. Piety was a conspicuous feature in his character; though, according to the spirit of his age, it was debased by the exclusive and bigoted feelings of a partizan. He was the author of "The Practicks of the Law of Scotland;" a work which was only superseded by the more elaborate work of Stair.
His remains were honourably interred in the parish church of St Andrews, by Sir Robert Murray of Melgun, and other friends, among whom was Hugh Scrimgeour, a wealthy citizen of St Andrews, who had formerly been one of archbishop Spotswood's servants, and who took the execution of his old master's son so much to heart, that seeing the bloody scaffold still standing some days afterwards, he fainted on the spot; and, being carried home, died on the threshold of his own door.
STEUART (Sir) James, of Coltness, Baronet, the father of political economy in Britain, was born on the 10th of October, 1713. He was the son of Sir James Steuart, bart., solicitor-general for Scotland, under queen Anne, and George I by Anne, daughter of Sir Hugh Dulrymple, president of the court of session. The father of the solicitor-general was Sir James Steuart, lord ad-
