page_title: John Spreul (apothecary)
section_title: Wodrow's account of the torture
hierarchical_section_title: John Spreul (apothecary) / Wodrow's account of the torture
caption_attribution_description: King James II (1633-1701) portrayed in his role as head of the Army, wearing a General Officer's State coat
context_page_description: John Spreul or Bass John was the apothecary in Glasgow. He got his nickname for being imprisoned on the Bass Rock for around 6 years on the charge of being present at outdoor religious meetings. Some seventeenth century church services were attended by armed defensive militia since the regime sent soldiers who attacked those at unauthorised meetings. A verdict of not proven was returned on charges that he supported those defeated at Bothwell Bridge and despite being tortured, twice, using the boot confessed no wrong-doing. Spreul's wife died while he was in prison and he petitioned for his full release, rather than being sent to the American plantations as a slave, when in 1686 there were some concessions from the regime. Spreul was liberated but initially refused to leave since the release order contained statements which he regarded as falsehoods. After freedom he seems to have quickly gained prominence and became a successful businessman being involved in fish processing and pearl trading. In 1696 he led a national fund-raising campaign to buy back Scots captured by Barbary pirates.
context_section_description: Wodrow records "Mr Spreul before the council, on November 15, confesseth he was in company with Mr Cargill in Edinburgh, but will not discover in what house, and adds, that there was nothing betwixt them but salutations." Mr Spreul having come from Ireland in the time of Bothwell, and being just now come from Holland, and owning he had been in company with Mr Cargill, the managers were of opinion that he could give them more information: and now being got into the inhuman way of putting people to the torture, and A. Stuart being examined this way, November 15, that same day the council pass the following act. "The lords of his majesty's privy council having good reason to believe, that there is a principle of murdering his 
  majesty, and those under him, for doing his majesty's service, and a design of subverting the government of church and state, 
  entertained and carried on by the fanatics, and particularly by Mr Donald Cargill, Mr Robert Macwaird, and others their accomplices, and that John Spreul and Robert Hamilton have been in accession thereunto, ordain them to be subjected to the torture, upon such interogatories as relate to these three points: 
   
  1st. By what reason and means that murdering principle is taught and carried on; who were accessory to the contrivance of murdering; who were to be murdered; and also as to the archbishop of St Andrews's murder.
   
  2nd. If there was any new rebellion intended; by what means it was to be carried on; who were to bring home the arms; if any be brought or bought, and by whom; who were the contrivers and promoters of the late rebellion at Bothwell-bridge.
   
  3d. Who were their correspondents abroad and at home, particularly at London, or elsewhere; what they know of bringing 
  home or dispersing seditious pamphlets, and such other particulars as relate to those generals. And give full power and commission to the earls of Argyle, Linlithgow, Perth, and Queensberry, treasurer-depute, register, advocate, justice-clerk, general Dalziel, Lord Collington, and Haddo, to call and examine the said persons in torture, upon the said interrogatories, and such other as they shall find pertinent upon the said heads, and report."
  The Lord Haltoun was preses of this committee, and the Duke of York and many others were present. The preses told Mr Spreul, that if he would not make a more ample confession than he had done, and sign it, he behoved to underly the torture. Mr Spreul said, "He had been very ingenuous before the council, and would go no further; that they could not subject him to torture according to law; but if they would go on, he protested that his torture was without, yea, against all law; that what was extorted from him under the torture, against himself or any others, he would resile from it, and it ought not to militate against him or any others; and yet he declared his hopes, God would not leave him so far as to accuse himself or others under the extremity of pain." Then the hang-man put his foot in the instrument called the boot, and, at every query put to him, gave live strokes or thereby upon the wedges. The queries were, whether he knew any thing of a plot to blow up the Abbay and duke of York? who was in the plot, and where Mr Cargill was, and if he would subscribe his confession before the council? To these he declared his absolute and utter ignorance, and adhered to his refusing to subscribe. When nothing could be expiscate by this, they ordered the old boot to be brought, alleging this new one used by the hangman was not so good as the old, and accordingly it was brought, and he underwent the torture a second time, and adhered to what he had before said. General Dalziel complained 
  at the second torture, that the hangman did not strike strongly enough upon the wedges; he said he struck with all his strength, and offered the general the mall to do it himself. Mr Spreul was very firm, and wonderfully supported, to his own 
  feeling in body and spirit, during the torture. When it was over, he was carried to prison on a soldier's back, where he was 
  refused the benefit of a
caption: The Duke of York (later James VII) was the younger brother of Charles II. and later his heir before James was deposed to make way for William and Mary. James described Spreul as more dangerous than five hundred ordinary people.[1]
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