page_title: James Guthrie (minister)
section_title: After the Restoration
hierarchical_section_title: James Guthrie (minister) / After the Restoration
caption_attribution_description: English: Site of the Netherbow Port This sculptured plaque on a building in the Royal Mile is close to the spot once occupied by the city gate known as the Netherbow Port. The original gate formed part of the Flodden Wall, built between 1514 and 1560, which divided Edinburgh from the neighbouring burgh of Canongate. It was blasted by cannon-fire during Hertford's invasion of 1544 and rebuilt in 1571. It was later replaced by a new structure in 1606, as shown on the plaque, which was closely modelled on the Porte de St. Honoré in Paris. Demolished in 1764, its clock was saved for the Orphan Hospital, now part of the Gallery of Modern Art at Dean.
context_page_description: James Guthrie, was a Scottish Presbyterian minister. Cromwell called him "the short man who would not bow." He was theologically and politically aligned with Archibald Johnston, whose illuminating 3 volume diaries were lost until 1896, and not fully published until 1940. He was exempted from the general pardon at the restoration of the monarchy, tried on 6 charges, and hanged in Edinburgh.
  James Guthrie was born about 1612 and said to be son of Guthrie of that ilk. He graduated with an M.A. from St. Andrew's University. He subsequently became a regent in St Leonard's College, St Andrews. He was one of those whom the Assembly, 16 December 1638, found ready to supply vacancies. He was not ordained until a few year later when he was called to Lauder in 1642, where he stayed for 7 years. He was selected with three others to wait upon Charles I. at Newcastle in 1646 with a letter from the Assembly. He preached before Parliament on 10 January 1649, and was thanked by it. He was appointed a commissioner for visiting the Universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh that year. He was translated and admitted to the Church of the Holy Rude in Stirling in November 1650.
context_section_description: The Restoration rendered the prospects of the "protesters" hopeless. Guthrie and nine others met in Edinburgh (23 August 1660) and drew up a "humble petition" to the king setting forth their loyalty, and reminding him of his obligations as a covenanter. The meeting was ordered to disperse, and as the warning was unheeded arrests were made. Guthrie was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle. On 25 September his stipend was sequestrated. He was transferred to Dundee on 20 October, and thence to Stirling, where he remained till his trial. On 20 February 1661 he was arraigned for high treason before the parliament, Middleton presiding as commissioner. The indictment had six counts. 
  The charges against Guthrie were six in number: (1) His contriving, consenting to, and exhibiting before the Committee of Estates the paper called The Western Remonstrance. (2) His contriving, writing, and publishing the abominable pamphlet called "The Causes of God's wrath." (3) His contriving, writing and subscribing the paper called "The Humble Petition," of the 23 of August last, when he was apprehended. (4) His convocating of the King's lieges at several times, without warrant or authority, to the disturbance of the peace of the State and of the Church. (5) His refusal, by appeal and protest presented at Perth, to acknowledge the King as judge in certain matters. (6) Some treasonable expressions alleged to have been used by him in a meeting, in 1650 or 1651.
  On 20 February 1651, his indictment being read, Guthrie delivered an excellent speech, which may be found in Wodrow's History. Expressing the hope that the Lord Commissioner (Middleton, who was known to have a grudge against him) would "patiently and without interruption" hear him, he reminded his judges that the law of God, referred to in the indictment, is the supreme law, not only of religion, but also of righteousness, and that all laws and Acts of Parliament are to be understood and expounded in the light of our solemn vows and covenants.
  The contriving of the "western remonstrance" and the rejection of the king's ecclesiastical authority were, from a legal point of view, the most formidable charges. In the preparation of his defence he surprised his counsel by the accuracy of his knowledge of Scots law. The trial was not concluded until 11 April. Guthrie's closing appeal made a strong impression. Several members withdrew; but only Tweeddale spoke in his favour, proposing banishment in place of the extreme penalty. On 28 May parliament ordered him to be hanged at the cross of Edinburgh on 1 June, in company with William Govan, an obscure deserter. Robert Traill, at the age of nineteen, stood beside Guthrie, his father's friend, on the scaffold. Guthrie's farewell letter (1 June 1661) to his wife shows great strength of character. At eleven o'clock the same day he signed a paper to dispose of the rumour that he was willing to retract. At dinner he called for cheese, saying his physicians had forbidden it, but he was beyond the need of such precautions. He spoke at the scaffold for about an hour, leaving a copy of his speech to be given to his son when he came of age. He is also reported to have left his ring with his niece. Opportunities of escape, he said, he had rejected, as flight might be taken as an admission of guilt. At the last moment he "raised the napkin from his eyes", and lifted up his voice for the covenants. His head was fixed on the Nether Bow port.
  The legend runs that, a few weeks later, drops of blood fell from it on to Middleton's coach, making a new cover necessary, as "all the art of man could not wash out" the indelible stains. In 1688 Alexander Hamilton, a divinity student (died 29 January 1738, minister of Stirling), removed the head and buried it. The headless trunk was laid out by "ladies of quality", who dipped their handkerchiefs in the blood, George Stirling pouring "a phial of fragrant ointment" on the corpse; it was interred in the aisle of St. Giles' Church.
caption: Site of the Netherbow Port on The Royal Mile where Guthrie's skull remained for 28 years.[9]
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