John Rae was the son of William Rae, burgess of Edinburgh. He served heir 7 February 1666. He was educated at the University of Glasgow and graduated with an M.A. in 1651. At the Restoration he was minister of Symington in the Presbytery of Biggar being admitted between 4 May and 2 November 1658. He was deprived by the Act of Parliament 11th June, and of Privy Council 1 October 1662. He became one of the most zealous of the Covenanting preachers; and for eight years peregrinated the country, conducting public worship on the hillsides and in private houses.

Arrest

A Conventicle Preacher before the Justices

Around the beginning of 1670, he was apprehended for preaching and baptizing in houses and sent to Edinburgh. He lay successively in the Canongate jail, in Stirling Castle, and

Dumbarton Castle Dumbarton Castle ( gd, Dùn Breatainn, ; ) has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. It sits on a volcanic plug of basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high and overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton. History Dum ...

, till about the time of the granting of the second indulgence in September 1672, when he was liberated. By this indulgence, he was allowed to exercise his ministry within the parish of

Cumbraes The Cumbraes are a group of islands in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. The islands belong to the traditional county of Bute and the modern unitary authority of North Ayrshire. The main islands in the group are: * Great Cumbrae * Little Cumbrae The ...

. But he declined to accept of this ensnaring boon, and associated with Mr John Welsh and others in preaching in the fields. Along with John Welsh and others, went about from place to place "holding conventicles, marrying, baptizing, and dispensing the Lord's Supper." For nine years he assiduously carried on these earnest labours. In July 1674, he was publicly denounced a rebel and

put to the horn Letters of horning ''(Scots law)'': a document (i.e., letters) issued by civil authorities that publicly denounce a person as an outlaw. The document was issued against persons who had not paid their debts. Historically, the documents would be a ...

. Hunter states that he fled to Holland although the source of this information is unclear. In August 1676, letters of intercommuning were issued against him. In 1681 he was captured and sent to the Edinburgh Tolbooth. On 15 February 1683 he was apprehended in Edinburgh, and on 15 September next year, the Council ordered him to be sent to the

Bass Rock The Bass Rock, or simply the Bass (), ( gd, Creag nam Bathais or gd, Am Bas) is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland. Approximately offshore, and north-east of North Berwick, it is a steep-sided volca ...

. He was sent at the same time as Sir Hugh Campbell but neither he nor Hugh's son Sir George Campbell was permitted to ride in a coach or on a horse someone provided. Like Mr John Blackadder, he lay there till released by the hand of death. His mortal remains were carried from his prison and interred in the churchyard of

North Berwick North Berwick (; gd, Bearaig a Tuath) is a seaside town and former royal burgh in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately east-northeast of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable ...

Bibliography

*Inq. Ret. Gen., 4962 *Kirkton's and Wodrow's Histories *Crichton's Memoirs of Blackadder

References

;Citations ;Sources: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 17th-century Presbyterian ministers Covenanters Year of birth uncertain Scottish people who died in prison custody Prisoners who died in Scottish detention 17th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland Covenanting Prisoners of the Bass Rock {{Bass Rock Prisoners of Conscience