Robert Bennet of Chesters

Robert Bennet
Field of stubble above Chesters Glen
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The sheriff of Roxburgh confronted by his sister at a Blackadder conventicle on Sunday 26 November 1676. Bennet was in the crowd and eventually dismissed them; they would not be dismissed by the soldiers.[1][2][3]
Chesters House

Robert Bennet of Chesters was a 17th-century Scottish gentleman. He lived in the Scottish Borders. Chesters or Grange lies on the banks of the Teviot and is close to the town of Ancrum in Roxburghshire.

The conventicles of Lilliesleaf Moor

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Lilliesleaf Moor, which then extended westward to Satchels and Grundistone, was the scene of many a conventicle. From Government papers we are warranted to infer that field-meetings were held for some time regularly nearly every Sabbath during summer and winter on Lilliesleaf and Hassendean moors, Blackriddel hill, and other places in the neighbourhood. Meldrum, the notorious Border persecutor, made the following statement before the Privy Council : — "The shire of Selkirk and the country there about is notoriously known to be the most disorderly part of the kingdom, and there have been always more conventicles there than in any other shire." The place in the neighbourhood of Selkirk where conventicles were most frequently held seems to have been Lilliesleaf Moor.[1]

Life

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Wilton Church, Hawick

Robert Bennet became a religious man. His own minister was the famous John Livingstone of Ancrum. He in his own writings records how he was greatly affected following the preaching of Rutherford (possibly Samuel Rutherford) at a communion service, led by Livingstone, in Wilton church on Sunday 22 June 1656.

Afterwards Bennet, who was around 35 years old at the time, made a personal covenant with God:

"The Lord, who is rich in mercy to all that call on Him, by providence in my portion of Scripture that morning, did not leave me comfortless, but held forth the sweet promise of Isaiah chapter 55 verse 7, 'Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.' Quhairunto as I could with heart and goodwill, I engaged, with my hands lifted up, to the Most High to forsake all my wicked ways; and, as He would enable, to devote myself to His feare; and solemlie vowes myself to be a Nazarite unto God; and earnestly beggs a heart to call Him my God and Father, and nocht depairt from His wayes, and mak me mindfull of my vowes, and enable me with strenth from above to perform the sam. So help me God. (Signed) ROBERT BENNET."

The Covenant thus made had a most powerful influence on Bennet's walk and conversation. He renewed it each year on 16 January as long as he lived. His wife's extravagance brought him into troublesome debt, but he faced all trials in a noble spirit.[4]

In 1676, Robert Bennet of Chesters was declared an outlaw and had all his possessions seized due to the fact he had attended conventicles by John Blackadder and others.[5] The conventicles took place on Lilliesleaf moor.[6][7] He was known as a prisoner from the Bass Rock. He was heavily fined and repeatedly imprisoned on the island in the Firth of Forth for stating that he would not attend open air church services. The main reason behind his detention in the Bass was his taking part in "armed conventicles". He was sentenced on 2 May 1677 and transferred from the Tolbooth to the Bass by 3 horsemen and 6 footmen.[8][9] He was fined 4000 merks on 28 June 1677.[10] Other counts were preferred against him, such as refusing to wait upon the "preaching of the curates" and to forego the ministrations of one "John Welsh; a declared rebel and traitor". He was fined four thousand merks Scots, and ordained to be carried to the Bass until he made payment thereof.[11] He was ordered to be set free on 9 October 1677.[12]

Family

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He married Anna Douglas. He was given leave to visit her from the Bass when she was on her deathbed on 18 February 1678.[13] He was ordered to be put into house arrest on 13 June 1678.[14] Robert seems to have had a least one daughter: Christian who married Walter Scot.[15] He also had a son named Archibald.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b Stewart, Duncan; Smith, John (1908). The Covenanters of Teviotdale and Neighbouring Districts. Galashiels: A. Walker & Son. pp. 93-101. Retrieved 5 May 2019.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Blackadder, John; Crichton, Andrew (1826). Memoirs of Rev. John Blackader : compiled chiefly from unpublished manuscripts and memoirs of his life and ministry written by himself while prisoner on the Bass : and containing illustrations of the Episcopal persecution from the restoration to the death of Charles II : with an appendix giving a short account of the history and siege of the Bass & / by Andrew Crichton (2 ed.). Edinburgh: Printed for A. Constable & Company. pp. 190–192.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ McIntyre, Neil (2016). Saints and subverters : the later Covenanters in Scotland c.1648-1682 (PhD). University of Strathclyde. p. 127.
  4. ^ Stewart, Duncan (1908). Smith, John (ed.). The Covenanters of Teviotdale and Neighbouring Districts. Galashiels: A. Walker & Son. pp. 35-39. Retrieved 4 August 2019.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Jeffrey, Alexander (1855). The history and antiquities of Roxburghshire and adjacent districts, from the most remote period to the present time. Vol. 2. Jedburgh: W. Easton. pp. 366–368. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  6. ^ M'Crie, Thomas, D.D. the younger (1847). The Bass rock: Its civil and ecclesiastic history. Edinburgh: J. Greig & Son. pp. 203–216. Retrieved 11 February 2019.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ^ Wodrow, Robert; Burns, Robert (1828–1830). 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. Vol. 2. Glasgow: Blackie, Fullarton & co.; and Edinburgh: A. Fullarton & co. pp. 359-360. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  8. ^ Crookshank, William (1749). 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. London: J. Oswald [etc.] p. 405. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  9. ^ Brown, P. Hume (1912). The register of the Privy Council of Scotland (3rd series: vol. 5 1676/1678 ed.). Edinburgh: 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. pp. 79, 156, 160. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  10. ^ Brown, P. Hume (1912). The register of the Privy Council of Scotland (3rd series: vol. 5 1676/1678 ed.). Edinburgh: 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. pp. 177–180. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  11. ^ Dickson, John (1899). Emeralds chased in Gold; or, the Islands of the Forth: their story, ancient and modern. [With illustrations.]. Edinburgh and London: Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier. pp. 202–203. Retrieved 3 March 2019.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  12. ^ Brown, P. Hume (1912). The register of the Privy Council of Scotland (3rd series: vol. 5 1676/1678 ed.). Edinburgh: 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. pp. 265–266. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  13. ^ Brown, P. Hume (1912). The register of the Privy Council of Scotland (3rd series: vol. 5 1676/1678 ed.). Edinburgh: 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. pp. 357, 388. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  14. ^ Brown, P. Hume (1912). The register of the Privy Council of Scotland (3rd series: vol. 5 1676/1678 ed.). Edinburgh: 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. p. 476. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  15. ^ Wilson, James, town clerk of Hawick (1858). Hawick and Its Old Memories: with Appendix: Containing Biographical Sketches and other Illustrative Documents. Edinburgh: Maclachlan and Stewart. p. 135. Retrieved 4 May 2019.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Murray, K. W. (1892). The Scottish antiquary, or, Northern notes & queries. Vol. 6. Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable. p. 141. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
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