Defiant Unto Death: Margaret MacLachlan & Margaret Wilson

April 13, 1685 before a heartless and savage court stood four female prisoners. All had refused Prelacy and the oath of Abjuration, which would have made the swearer proclaim the Church of God to be a department of the state. The charges, rebellion, attending field meetings, and meetings for worship within doors. Being found guilty of said "crimes", the prosecutor Grierson of Lagg ordered that they should receive sentence while on their knees. All refused to kneel, but were brutally forced upon their knees while sentence was proclaimed upon them.

The Sentence:

Margaret MacLachlan, widow, seventy years of age, death by drowning. Margaret Maxwell, serving maid, twenty years of age, flogged publicly through the streets of Wigtown for three days and for an hour each day spent in the stocks. Margaret Wilson, farmer's daughter, eighteen years of age, death by drowning. Agnes Wilson, thirteen year old sister of Margaret, bail set at 100 pounds to be paid by their father.

Martyrs:

Margaret MacLachlan had a Christlike manner and was much esteemed by her fellow Christians. She was constantly harassed by the prosecutors and one day while on her knees worshipping God with her family a party of dragoons arrested her and threw her in prison. There she suffered from hunger, cold, and a bed. She didn't even have enough light to read the Holy Scriptures.

Margaret Maxwell expected the same sentence but instead was ordained to be scourged through Wigtown by the hand of the hangman for three days successively and to stand one hour in the stocks. All of which was done. In all of Wigtown there wasn't a window open or a soul outside looking on. When asked by the hangman if the hour should be shortened she replied "No! let the clock go on." She was neither wearied nor ashamed.

Margaret and Agnes Wilson, daughters of Gilbert Wilson, farmer in Glenvernock, had refused vain religion along with their sixteen year old brother Tom. Being wanted they fled and lived in the mountains, bogs, and caves. Their parents were ordered that they should neither house them, feed them, speak to them, nor see them. In February the two sisters left Tom in the snowy mountains to secretly see some friends. While there someone asked them to drink to the King's health. They could not, they said, as it was not warranted by scripture. Thus being recognized, were arrested and thrust into prison.

Gilbert Wilson paid the bond for Agnes and set off on horseback to try for an appeal for Margaret. By the time of his return, the tragedy had occurred, and she was where there is 'no more sea'.

Sentence Carried Out:

From the prison, the soldiers took them to the bank of the Blednoch Burn which fills with Solway from the sea when the tide comes in. Two long wooden stakes were fixed deep into the bed of the burn. The farther one out, was for the elder Margaret; and the nearer to land was for Margaret the maid. The elder saint was taken to her stake and there silently communed with her Lord. Being roughly tied she stood in silence as the water rose and the cold waves splashed death upon her as she gasped for air. "Let her go to hell" they cried. As she struggled the onlookers said to the younger saint 'What do you think of her now:' Think! I see Christ wrestling there', said she. 'Think ye that we are sufferers? No; it is Christ in us, for he sends none a warfare at their own charges.'

With the waters now around her, she began to sing a melody that she had often sung among the hills while in fellowship with her other hunted worshippers of God. She sang Psalm 25 starting at the seventh verse.

Psa 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

Psa 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

Psa 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

Margaret Wilson opened her bible and read aloud for the last time from the eighth chapter of Romans, in full assurance of her faith. 'Whom he justified them he also glorified;' We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Painting of Margaret Wilson,The Martyr of Solway, byJohn Everett Millais, 1871.

As the cold waves dashed over her head, the soldiers pulled her out of the water, and when she was finally able to speak they asked her to pray for the King, ' as he is supreme over all persons and causes, ecclesiastic as well as civil,' a blasphemous usurping of Christ as head of the Church. 'Pray for the King,' they cried! She whispered that she wished salvation of all men, and the damnation of none. They dashed her under the water and pulled her up again. 'Lord, give him repentance, forgiveness, and salvation, if it be thy holy will,' she mumbled. Infuriated Grierson of Lagg let out a demonic cry 'Damned bitch, we do not want such prayers. Tender her the oaths.' She groaned, 'No! No! no sinful oaths for me. I am one of Christ's children. Let me go.' And they flung her back into the water, where she died a martyr of only eighteen years old.

Their bodies now lay in an old church yard in Wigtown only a few yards from where they died.

For more on the Scottish Covenanters check out Fair Sunshine by Jock Purves.