Who was that Masked Prophet? V

Liberty to Prophesy

On 9th October 1677, the council decided to liberate Peden from the Bass, on the condition that he left Great Britain for ever. He refused, and it was decided to banish Peden from Scotland. He was transferred to the old Tolbooth for another year until, in December 1678, the council condemned Peden to be transported to the plantations in America with sixty-seven other men. In America the men were to be sold as slaves (Think Captain Blood here). The prisoners were put aboard the St. Michael of Scarborough at Leith, the port of Edinburgh.

After the sentence was passed Peden was heard to say, everal times, that the ship had not yet been built that would take him, or his fellow prisoners, to America. To one James Law, one of the prisoners, Peden said, "James, when your wife comes in, let me speak a word with her." He spoke with her. Afterwards, as they prayed, he said, "Good Lord, let no James Law's wife miss her husband, until thou return him to her in peace and safety, which we are sure will be sooner than either he or she is looking for."

But the ship sailed from Leith. There were rumours that torture would be used on the prisoners, but Peden calmed them saying, "Lift up your hearts, for the day of your redemption draweth near. If we were once at London, we will be set at liberty." Another time he was heard saying in prayer, "Lord, we bless Thy Name, that will cut short our voyage, and frustrate Thy wicked enemies of their wicked designs, and will not let them get us where they intend; and some of us shall go richer home, than when we came from home."

And so it was, for when the captain who was to have taken them to Virginia recieved them and found that they were political prisoners and good Christians, he refused to take them in his ship. So all of the prisoners were set free in London. They returned to Scotland, free men once more. Peden remained six months in Scotland, and he returned to find that the Presbyterian cause had suffered a terrible blow.
But that must wait for our sixth installment.