John King (Covenanter)

John King, an outlawed minister of the covenant, fills a somewhat marked place in the episode of Scottish history which includes the battle of Bothwell Bridge. He was domestic chaplain to Henry, 3rd Lord Cardross,{{sfn|Anderson|1877|p=[https://archive.org/details/scottishnationor02ande/page/155/mode/2up 155]}} and in 1674 was apprehended for keeping conventicles, with his lordship's connivance.{{sfn|Wodrow|1830|p=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi02wodr/page/248/mode/2up?q=john+king 248]}} On that occasion he was brought before the council, and held to bail, to appear when called upon.{{sfn|Wodrow|1830|p=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi02wodr/page/270/mode/2up?q=john+king 270]}} In May 1675 he was again arrested at Cardross house for the same offence, being seized in the nighttime, by a party of the guards under Sir Mungo Murray.{{sfn|Wodrow|1830|p=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi02wodr/page/280/mode/2up?q=john+king 280]}} Next day a number of country people assembled, from Menteith and Kippen, and rescued him from the military.{{sfn|Veitch|Brysson|1825|p=[https://archive.org/details/memoirsofmrwilli00veit/page/436/mode/2up?q=john+king 437]}} Lord Cardross himself was absent from home at the time, but as soon as he heard of his chaplain's arrest, he applied to the Privy Council by petition, complaining of the illegal entrance into his house.{{sfn|Wodrow|1830|p=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi02wodr/page/289/mode/2up?q=john+king 289]}} The matter was remitted for enquiry to a committee of the council, who found that the rescue was made with Lord Cardross's acquiescence and connivance. He was therefore ordered to be imprisoned in Edinburgh castle, and fined £1,000 sterling, besides £1,350 Scots, for his tenants attending conventicles.{{sfn|Wodrow|1830|p=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi02wodr/page/291/mode/2up?q=john+king 291]}}{{sfn|Anderson|1877|p=[https://archive.org/details/scottishnationor02ande/page/155/mode/2up 155]}} An attempt was made to capture King at a conventicle near Cardross in June 1675. One man, Norrie,{{sfn|Veitch|Brysson|1825|p=[https://archive.org/details/memoirsofmrwilli00veit/page/436/mode/2up?q=john+king 437]}} was killed defending the preacher who escaped.{{sfn|Blair|1848}}

Just previous to the affair at Drumclog in June 1679, King was, on May 31, seized, with fourteen others, in the town of Hamilton, by Colonel Graham of Claverhouse. "There was some pretence," says Wodrow, "to seize King, being a vagrant preacher, and I think intercommuned, but there was no law for seizing the rest."{{sfn|Wodrow|1829|p=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi03wodr/page/68/mode/2up?q=john+king 69]}} Some escaping from Hamilton, took the direction of Loudoun Hill, where a large field-meeting was to be held. This led to the skirmish at Drumclog. At Hamilton, Claverhouse first heard of the meeting at Loudonhill, and on Sunday morning, June 1, he set out to disperse it, carrying King and the other prisoners along with him, bound two and two.{{sfn|Anderson|1877|p=[https://archive.org/details/scottishnationor02ande/page/155/mode/2up 155]}}

After the defeat of Claverhouse, the Covenanters pursued the king's troops for some distance, and liberated King and the other prisoners.{{sfn|Anderson|1877|p=[https://archive.org/details/scottishnationor02ande/page/155/mode/2up 155]}} King, making for Arran, was recaptured by stratagem on the estate of Blair, in the parish of Dalry, Ayrshire, shortly after the defeat of the covenanters at Bothwell, and was conveyed to Edinburgh.{{sfn|Hewison|1913|p=[https://archive.org/details/covenanters02hewi/page/316/mode/2up?q=kid 317]}} One of his escort of dragoons, being asked whither they were bound, is said to have answered, 'To carry King to hell.' The same day the dragoon was killed by the accidental discharge of his carbine.{{sfn|Paton|1892}}

File:Original site of the Mercat Cross, High Street - geograph.org.uk - 1367417.jpg

After the battle of Bothwell Bridge, King, with another preacher named Kid, was again apprehended, and brought to trial. King was brought before the council on 9 July 1679, along with John Kid.{{sfn|Paton|1892}} They pleaded that though found amongst the insurgents, they had taken no share in their proceedings, that they were in fact detained among them by force, that they had refused to preach to them, and, had seized the first opportunity of escaping before the battle. But all was of no avail. They were first subjected to the torture of the boots, and then condemned to death. After several appearances and a futile petition by counsel on their behalf, they were condemned.{{sfn|Paton|1892}}{{sfn|Wodrow|1835|pp=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsuffe03wodr/page/132/mode/2up?q=king 132–136]}}

File:Covenanters Plaque, Grassmarket (geograph 2355298).jpg]]

Proclamation was made immediately before the execution of an indulgence to the 'outed' ministers, and King and Kid were pressed by Robert Fleming the elder, then a fellow-prisoner, to signify their approval of it, which they resolutely declined to do.{{sfn|Paton|1892}}{{sfn|Veitch|Brysson|1825|p=[https://archive.org/details/memoirsofmrwilli00veit/page/482/mode/2up?q=john+king 482]}} King and Kid were executed at the cross of Edinburgh on 14 August 1679. Following this, their heads and limbs being severed from their bodies and placed on the Nether Bow port.

King's last speech on the scaffold was printed. In it he makes mention of his wife and one child. The only sermon by him which is known to exist is included in the collection made by John Howie.{{sfn|Paton|1892}}

Sir Walter Scott's character Gabriel Kettledrummle in Old Mortality is supposed to be a distorted picture of John King.{{sfn|M'Crie|1857|p=[https://archive.org/details/worksofthomasmcr04mcri/page/70/mode/2up?q=john+king pg 70]}} Thomson says: "John King may be supposed to be the prototype of the Rev. Gabriel Kettledrummle in the fiction of Scott. John Howie, in the appendix to the "Faithful Contendings", has given the notes of a sermon by King, and "Naphtali" contains his last speech before execution. The sermon is from the notes of a hearer, and so likely to be an imperfect rendering of what he said. It is, however, very far from being in the manner of Kettledrummle, and still less is this the case with his last speech, which is really worthy of the occasion, and says a great deal both for his tact, his ability, his

piety, and his appreciative acquaintance with evangelical truth. The novelist, therefore, when he drew the portrait of the fanatic Covenanting preacher, drew from his powerful imagination, and certainly not from the facts known of the martyred John King."{{sfn|Thomson|1903|p=28}}

;Citations

{{reflist |colwidth=30em}}

;Other sources:

{{refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}

• {{cite book |editor1-last=Airy |editor1-first=Osmund |editor1-link=Osmund Airy |title=The Lauderdale Papers |date=1885 |publisher=John Bowyer Nichols and Son |location=London |pages=[https://archive.org/details/publications3831camd/page/n381/mode/2up 177]-179 |volume=3 (1673–1689) |url=https://archive.org/details/publications3831camd}}
• {{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/scottishnationor02ande

|chapter=The Rev. John King

|title=The Scottish nation: or, The surnames, families, literature, honours, and biographical history of the people of Scotland

|volume=2

|first=William |last=Anderson |author-link=William Anderson (Scottish writer)

|publisher=A. Fullarton & co. |year=1877|pages=[https://archive.org/details/scottishnationor02ande/page/606/mode/2up?q=john+king 607]}}{{PD-notice}}

• {{cite book |last=Blair |first=Robert |editor-last=M'Crie |editor-first=Thomas |title=The life of Mr. Robert Blair, minister of St. Andrews, containing his autobiography, from 1593–1636 : with supplement of his life and continuation of the history of the times, to 1680 |date=1848 |publisher=Wodrow Society |location=Edinburgh |url=https://archive.org/details/lifeofmrrobert00blai/page/n3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/lifeofmrrobert00blai/page/558/mode/2up?q=john+king 558]-559|author-link=Robert Blair (moderator)|editor-link=Thomas M'Crie the younger}}
• {{cite book |editor-last=Brown |editor-first=P. Hume |title=The register of the Privy Council of Scotland |date=1912 |publisher=Published By The Authority Of The Lords Commissioners Of His Majesty's Treasury, Under The Direction Of The Deputy Clerk Register Of Scotland. H.M. General Register House |location=Edinburgh |series=3 |volume=5 1676/1678 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103825693&view=1up&seq=801&q1=%22john%20king%22 |editor-link=Peter Hume Brown}}
• {{cite book |editor-last=Brown |editor-first=P. Hume |title=The register of the Privy Council of Scotland |date=1912 |publisher=Published By The Authority Of The Lords Commissioners Of His Majesty's Treasury, Under The Direction Of The Deputy Clerk Register Of Scotland. H.M. General Register House |location=Edinburgh |series=3 |volume=6 1678/1680 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt/search?q1=%22john%20king%22;id=mdp.39015073339429;view=1up;seq=801;num=763;start=1;sz=10;page=search;orient=0 |editor-link=Peter Hume Brown}}
• {{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=James |title=The epitaphs and monumental inscriptions in Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh. Collected by James Brown ... with an introd. and notes. |page=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hn3n2m&view=1up&seq=63&q1=%22john%20king%22 liii]|date=1867 |publisher=Edinburgh: J. M. Miller |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hn3n2m&view=1up}}
• {{cite book |last=Bryce |first=William Moir |title=History of the Old Greyfriars' Church Edinburgh |date=1912 |publisher=William Green and Sons |location=Edinburgh |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofoldgrey00bryc |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofoldgrey00bryc/page/114/mode/2up?q=john+kid 114]}}
• {{cite ODNB|last=Callow |first=John |title=King, John |id=15573}}
• {{cite book |last=Crookshank |first=William |title=The history of the state and sufferings of the Church of Scotland, from the Restoration to the Revolution. With an introd., containing the most remarkable occurrences relating to that Church from the Reformation |volume=1|date=1812a |publisher=Thomas Turnbull |location=Edinburgh |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofstatesu01croo |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofstatesu01croo/page/296/mode/2up?q=john+king 297] et passim}}
• {{cite book |last=Crookshank |first=William |title=The history of the state and sufferings of the Church of Scotland, from the Restoration to the Revolution. With an introd., containing the most remarkable occurrences relating to that Church from the Reformation |volume=2|date=1812b |publisher=Thomas Turnbull |location=Edinburgh |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofstatesu01croo |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofstatesu02croo/page/2/mode/2up?q=john+king 3] et passim}}
• {{cite book |last1=Fairley |first1=John A. |title=Extracts from the Records of the Old Tolbooth from The book of the Old Edinburgh Club |date=1913 |publisher=Edinburgh : The Club |page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofoldedinbur6191olde/page/134/mode/2up?q=john+kid 135] |volume=6 |url=https://archive.org/details/bookofoldedinbur6191olde}}
• {{cite book |last1=Hamilton |first1=William |title=The manuscripts of the Duke of Hamilton, K.T. |date=1887 |publisher=Historical Manuscripts Commission |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/manuscriptsofduk00grea_2/page/158/mode/2up?q=john+king}}
• {{cite book |last=Hewison |first=James King|author-link=James King Hewison|title=The Covenanters |date=1913 |publisher=John Smith and son |location=Glasgow |volume=2 |url=https://archive.org/details/covenanters02hewi/page/n7 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/covenanters02hewi/page/248/mode/2up?q=john+king 249], 300-301,317-318}}
• {{cite book |editor1-last=Howie |editor1-first=John |editor1-link=John Howie (biographer) |title=The Last Words and Dying Testimonies of the Scots Worthies, containing The Cloud of Witnesses for the Royal Prerogatives of Jesus Christ, being the last speeches and testimonies of those who suffered for the truth in Scotland, since the year 1680; and Naphtali, or the wrestlings of the Church Of Scotland for The Kingdom Of Christ, together with Other Testimonies Collated From Memoirs of The Lives Of The Worthies, and other valuable historical documents only to be found in old published collections and original manuscripts. |date=1846 |publisher=W. R. M'Phun |location=Glasgow |url=https://archive.org/details/scotsworthiesem00sirgoog/page/n6/mode/2up}}
• {{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/scotsworthies00howirich

|chapter=Mssrs John Kid and John King

|title=The Scots worthies

|first=John |last=Howie |editor-first=W. H. |editor-last=Carslaw |author-link=John Howie (biographer)

|publisher=Oliphant, Anderson, & Ferrier |location=Edinburgh |year=1870|pages=[https://archive.org/details/scotsworthies00howirich/page/408/mode/2up 409]–411}}{{PD-notice}}

• {{cite book |last1=Irving |first1=Joseph |title=The book of Scotsmen eminent for achievements in arms and arts, church and state, law, legislation, and literature, commerce, science, travel, and philanthropy |date=1881 |publisher=A. Gardner |location=Paisley |page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofscotsmenem00irviuoft/page/256/mode/2up 256] |url=https://archive.org/details/bookofscotsmenem00irviuoft |author-link=Joseph Irving}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/treasuryofscotti00john

|page=[https://archive.org/details/treasuryofscotti00john/page/348/mode/2up?q=john+king 348] |title=Treasury of the Scottish covenant

|first=John C. |last=Johnston

|publisher=Andrew Elliot |year=1887}}

• {{cite book |last1=M'Crie |first1=Thomas |authorlink1=Thomas M'Crie the elder |editor1-last=M'Crie |editor1-first=Thomas |editor1-link=Thomas M'Crie the younger |title=Works of Thomas M'Crie, D.D. Volume 4: review of "Tales of my Landlord" |date=1857 |publisher=William Blackwood & sons |location=Edinburgh |pages=[https://archive.org/details/worksofthomasmcr04mcri/page/n5/mode/2up 5]-128 |volume=4 |url=https://archive.org/details/worksofthomasmcr04mcri/page/n3/mode/2up}}
• {{cite book |last1=M'Crie |first1=Thomas |authorlink1=Thomas M'Crie the younger |title=Sketches of Scottish church history : embracing the period from the Reformation to the Revolution |date=1846 |publisher=J. Johnstone |location=Edinburgh |pages=[https://archive.org/details/sketchesofscotti02mccr/page/174/mode/2up 175]-177 |volume=2 |url=https://archive.org/details/sketchesofscotti02mccr}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite DNB|last=Paton |first=Henry |wstitle=King, John (d.1679)|volume=31|noicon=1|pages=139-140}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite book |last1=Rogers |first1=Charles |title=Monuments and monumental inscriptions in Scotland |date=1871 |publisher=Grampian Club |location=London |page=40 |volume=2 |url=https://archive.org/details/monumentsmonumen02gram/page/40 |author-link=Charles Rogers (author)}}
• {{cite book |last1=Shields |first1=Michael |last2=Howie |first2=John |title=Faithful Contendings Displayed |date=1780 |publisher=printed by John Bryce |url=https://archive.org/details/faithfulcontend00howigoog/page/n4}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite book |last1=Smellie |first1=Alexander |title=Men of the Covenant: the story of the Scottish church in the years of the Persecution |date=1903 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/menofcovenantsto00smel/page/238/mode/2up?q=john+king 238], 251 |publisher=Fleming H. Revell Co. |location=New York |edition=2 |url=https://archive.org/details/menofcovenantsto00smel}}
• {{cite book |last1=Thomson |first1=John Henderson |title=A cloud of witnesses, for the royal prerogatives of Jesus Christ : being the last speeches and testimonies of those who have suffered for the truth in Scotland, since the year 1680 |date=1871 |publisher=Oliphant, Anderson, & Ferrier |location=Edinburgh |pages=[https://archive.org/details/cloudofwitnesses00thom/page/182/mode/2up?q=john+king 183], 260, 296, 344, 423|url=https://archive.org/details/cloudofwitnesses00thom}}
• {{cite book |last=Thomson |first=J. H. |editor-last=Hutchison |editor-first=Matthew |title=The martyr graves of Scotland |date=1903 |publisher=Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier |location=Edinburgh |pages=[https://archive.org/details/themartyrgraves00thomuoft/page/n47/mode/2up?q=john+king 28]-29,33,46 |url=https://archive.org/details/themartyrgraves00thomuoft}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite book |last1=Tutchin |first1=John |title=The western martyrology |date=1873 |publisher=J. Blackwood & co. |location=London |pages=[https://archive.org/details/westernmartyrolo00tutc/page/178/mode/2up?q=john+king 178]-182 |edition=5 |url=https://archive.org/details/westernmartyrolo00tutc|author-link=John Tutchin}}
• {{cite book |last1=Veitch |first1=William |last2=Brysson |first2=George |editor-last=M'Crie |editor-first=Thomas |title=Memoirs of Mr. William Veitch, and George Brysson |date=1825 |publisher=W. Blackwood; T. Cadell |location=Edinburgh; London |url=https://archive.org/details/memoirsofmrwilli00veit |author-link1=William Veitch (minister)|editor-link=Thomas M'Crie the younger}}
• {{cite book |volume=1|last=Walker |first=Patrick |title=Biographia Presbyteriana |date=1827 |publisher=Edinburgh: D. Speare |url=https://archive.org/details/biographiapresby00walk |page=[https://archive.org/details/biographiapresby00walk/page/246/mode/2up?q=john+king 247]}}
• {{cite book |last=Walker |first=Patrick |editor-last=Fleming |editor-first=David Hay |title=Six saints of the Covenant : Peden: Semple: Welwood: Cameron: Cargill: Smith |date=1901 |publisher=London : Hodder and Stoughton |page=[https://archive.org/details/sixsaintsoftheco01walkuoft/page/n327/mode/2up?q=john+king 282] |volume=1 |url=https://archive.org/details/sixsaintsoftheco01walkuoft |editor-link=David Hay Fleming}}
• {{cite book |last=Wodrow |first=Robert |editor-last=Burns |editor-first=Robert |title=The history of the sufferings of the church of Scotland from the restoration to the revolution, with an original memoir of the author, extracts from his correspondence, and preliminary dissertation |date=1830 |publisher=Glasgow: Blackie, Fullarton & co., and Edinburgh: A. Fullarton & co. |volume=2 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofsuffe01wodr |author-link=Robert Wodrow}}
• {{cite book |last=Wodrow |first=Robert |editor-last=Burns |editor-first=Robert |year=1829 |title=The history of the sufferings of the church of Scotland from the restoration to the revolution, with an original memoir of the author, extracts from his correspondence, and preliminary dissertation and notes, in four volumes |volume=3 |location=Glasgow |publisher=Blackie Fullerton & Co |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi03wodr|author-link=Robert Wodrow}}
• {{cite book |last=Wodrow |first=Robert |editor-last=Burns |editor-first=Robert |year=1835 |title=The history of the sufferings of the church of Scotland from the restoration to the revolution, with an original memoir of the author, extracts from his correspondence, and preliminary dissertation and notes, in four volumes |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi04wodr/page/244/mode/2up?q=M%27Kail 244]|volume=4 |location=Glasgow |publisher=Blackie Fullerton & Co |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofsufferi04wodr|author-link=Robert Wodrow}}

{{refend}}

;Attribution

{{DNB|last=Paton |first=Henry |wstitle=King, John (d.1679)|volume=31}}

{{Scots Worthies}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:King, John}}

Category:1679 deaths

Category:17th-century Scottish people

Category:17th-century Protestant religious leaders

Category:Covenanters

Category:Protestant martyrs of Scotland