Robert Dick of

Prestonpans Prestonpans ( gd, Baile an t-Sagairt, Scots: ''The Pans'') is a small mining town, situated approximately eight miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the Council area of East Lothian. The population as of is. It is near the site of the 1745 ...

was a 17th-century merchant and inspector of salt works to Lord Carringtoune. He was arrested on 4 September 1676 for attending an open-air service in the Pentland Hills.

Charges

While they were carried up the West Bow at Edinburgh, along with William Bell, an unsuccessful attempt was made at a rescue, and all were imprisoned. He refused to give his oath at his trial on 12 October and was 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 volcan ...

on the Firth of Forth in

Haddingtonshire East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In 1975, the histo ...

along with William Bell. In October, 1676, he was charged, before the Privy Council, for "convocating disorderly and seditious meetings" at Pentland Hills and divers other places. William Bell was charged with preaching and Dick's crime was that he did "convocat the people therto".(Brown pg. 44) The list of conventicles and charges included: "the

Pentland Hills The Pentland Hills are a range of hills southwest of Edinburgh, Scotland. The range is around in length, and runs southwest from Edinburgh towards Biggar and the upper Clydesdale. Etymology The name is first recorded for the farm of Pentlan ...

, Caldermuir, Drumshoirling Muir, Kirklistoune (

Kirkliston Kirkliston is a small town and parish to the west of Edinburgh, Scotland, historically within the county of West Lothian but now within the City of Edinburgh council limits. It lies on high ground immediately north of a northward loop of the Al ...

Borthwick Borthwick is a hamlet, parish and stream in Midlothian, Scotland. The parish includes the 15th century Borthwick Castle, which is to the east of the village and the villages of Gorebridge and North Middleton.''Gazetteer of Scotland'', publ. by ...

, Edmonstoune Chaple, Woolmett, Corstorphin,

Torwood Torwood ( gd, Coille Tor) is a small village located north-northwest of Larbert, north-west of Falkirk and south-southeast of Stirling. Torwood lies within the Falkirk Council area of Scotland. The population recorded in the 2011 UK Census ...

, Gledsmuir, Dumbarr, Whythill, Eistbarnes,

Broxburn Broxburn ( gd, Srath Bhroc, IPA: �s̪ɾaˈvɾɔʰk is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the A89 road, from the West End of Edinburgh, from Edinburgh Airport and to the north of Livingston. Etymology The name Broxburn is a corruption of " ...

e, Newtounlees, and several other places, or at one or other of them or near thereto, and not only heard outed ministers preach but took upon them to convocate people from Edinburgh and elsewhere to the said meetings." Dick admitted having been present at the Pentland conventicle but refused to depone, upon oath, any connexion with the others. This the Council regarded as equivalent to a plea of "Guilty," and he was, accordingly, relegated to the dungeons of the Bass. After two years of rigorous imprisonment he was again brought before the Council, in September 1678, on the "foresaid libel." Dick, however, still refused to incriminate himself; and, for his contumacy he was banished to the plantations of the West, where probably he ended his days in slavery.

Family

Nothing much is known about his family although some research was done on the subject. Another Covenanter called Robert Dick appears to have been killed at Airsmoss and has an unusual tombstone there.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dick, Robert Covenanters Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Scottish prisoners and detainees Covenanting Prisoners of the Bass Rock