page_title: John Spreul (apothecary)
section_title: Release order and Spreul's refusal
hierarchical_section_title: John Spreul (apothecary) / Release order and Spreul's refusal
caption_attribution_description: English: perished in shipwreck
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: In May 1687 an order is granted to liberate John Spreul. Favours were now shown to the prisoners; and after near seven years' imprisonment, Mr Spreul sent a petition to the council, which follows from the original. 
   
   " Whereas it is not unknown to your lordships, how that your lordships' petitioner, after his first imprisonment, was put to the extremity of the torture two several times, the which having sustained, was thereby assoiled by the laws of this and all other nations. Thereafter, when he was indicted, he was also cleared by the verdict of the whole assize, and thereupon assoiled by the lords of the justiciary ; and at last being libelled before your lordships by his majesty's advocate, who could prove nothing against him, yet your lordships being pleased to fine him, and continue his imprisonment so long, because he had not freedom to depone upon the libel, the reasons wherefore he could not, being not only from grounds in law, but especially from conscience, and his obligation and respect to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which are at more length expressed in his information, together with a touch at a few of the great losses he hath sustained both before and since his imprisonment (what by sea, the great fire at Glasgow, house and shop taken from his wife in his absence, also by bad debtors, and through his imprisonment all is prescribed by law (that is due him) after three years past, the goods taken from him by major Johnston, and the death of his wife, and other great expenses since his imprisonment, (being these six years and five months) all which he humbly offereth to your lordships' consideration and pity. May it therefore please your lordships, to grant your lordships' petitioner liberty to follow his lawful calling in his native country, at least in any other nation where he may with best conveniency, not that he petitioneth for his own banishment, (and so to be sold as a slave, the which he would not be ashamed of, for the gospel's sake, if he be called of the Lord to it,) but the liberty of a freeborn subject is that he humbly begs, at least liberty a competent time to see if by law he can obtain any thing of his debtors to maintain himself in prison, seeing nothing hath been hitherto allowed him out of the goods taken from him by major Johnston, neither out of the treasury." 
  May 13 1687, the council grant the following- act of liberation. "The lords of his majesty's privy council, having considered an address made in behalf of John Spreul apothecary in Glasgow, now prisoner in the isle of the Bass, supplicating for liberty, in regard of his majesty's late gracious proclamation, do hereby give order and warrant to Charles Maitland, lieutenant-governor of the isle of the Bass, to set the said John Spreul at liberty, he having found caution acted in the books of council, to appear before the council once in June next, under the penalty of one thousand pounds Scots money, in case of failie. Extracted by me, Colin Mackenzie, Cl. Secr. Concilii." When this order comes to the Bass, Mr Spreul was unwilling to take his liberty upon any terms that to him appeared inconsistent with the truths he was suffering for; and he apprehended this order involved him in an approbation of the proclamation specified, which he was far from approving. So much he signified to the governor of the Bass, and continued some time in prison, till a letter came over 
  requiring the governor to set open doors to him, and tell him he was at liberty to go, or stay, as he pleased. Whereupon, after so long an imprisonment, he chose to come out under a protestation against what he took to be wrong in the orders and proclamation, and went over to Edinburgh, and waited on the counsellors, thanked them for allowing him liberty, and verbally renewed his protest against the proclamation and orders.
caption: Some prisoners like Robert Dick were sold to gifted into servitude or slavery in the newly established colonies in America or the West Indies. They travelled on ships such as the Carolina Merchant and the Henry & Francis
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