Person:Gabriel Semple (5)

Gabriel Semple

• Douglass, Robert. The Baronage of Scotland: Containing, An Historical and Genealogical Account of the Gentry of that Kingdom. (London: Cadell & Davies, 1798), Vol. 1, Pages 467, 468, 469.^S1

Gabriel, minister of the gospel at Jedburgh, who, by Margaret his wife, daughter of sir Patrick Murray of Blackcastle, was father of Mr. Sempil, minister of the gospel at Liberton, etc.^S1

• GABRIEL SEMPLE, A.M. - trans. from Kirkpatrick-Durham, called in Sept., and adm. 29th Oct.; died in Aug. 1706, aged about 74, in 50th min. He was the earliest of the field preachers, and possessed great determination, joined to much sagacity, piety and prudence, so that he had no small influence among his brethren during the days of persecution, and after the settlement of Church-government at the Revolution. He wished Thomas Boston Sr. to be his assistant or colleague, who hearing him preach on the Fifth commandement, narrates, "The things he insisted on were common and ordinary, but were delivered in such a manner, and such power accompanied them, that I was amazed, and said in my heart, 'Happy are those that hear thy wisdom."' He bequeathed money for the maintenance of a schoolmaster in his former parish, and marr., 1st, Margaret daugh. of Sir Pat. Murray of Blackcastle, and had a son Samuel, min. of Liberton; 2dly, a daugh. of Sir Walter Riddel, of that ilk, an excellent woman, and died in Northumberland, where he was engaged in the ministry; 3dly, Margaret, daugh. of Sir Robert Carr (ie. Kerr) of Etal.-[ Wodrow's Hist., Presb. Reg., Douglas's Baron., Boston's Mem., Acts Paul. ix., Mem. of W. Vetch, Sinclair's i., and New St. Acc. iii., Lee's Memorial, Edin. Chr. Inst. xxiii.] [Extract]^S5

• Stewart, Duncan; Smith, John. The Covenanters of Teviotdale and Neighbouring Districts. (Galashiels: A. Walker & Son, Publishers., 1908), Chapter 7, Pages 77 to 92.^S2

Gabriel Semple, Minister of Jedburgh – We do not quite cease connection with the Riddells when we take up the life of Gabriel Semple, who was a Borderfield preacher, and after the Revolution became minister of Jedburgh; for his second wife was Alison, sister of Archibald Riddell. He was born in 1631 or 1632. His father was Sir Bryce Semple of Cathcart; his mother was descended from the Lauderdale family…^S2

In 1649 Gabriel went to Glasgow College to study for the ministry of Scotland’s Covenanted Chruch. He records that, when a student, he saw Cromwell and Lieutenant-General Lambert entering a church in Glasgow one Sabbath,…^S2

In 1657 he was licensed to preach, and soon got two unanimous calls- one to his native parish of Cathcart and the other to Kirkpatrick-Durham, in Dumfriesshire…^S2

Two intimate friends were John Blackader and John Semple of Carsphairn. In 1662 he was ordered to leave Kirkpatrick-Durham…^S2

By leading Covenanters, Semple was sent to Galloway to ascertain the wishes of the people. Before he could bring a report to Edinburgh he heard that some Covenanters under the galling persecution had risen in arms and seized Sir James Turner, the Government commander at Dumfries. Semple boldly joined this party, and preached to them at Tarbolton, where they were first organized into an army. At Lanark he again preached to the horsemen and a crowd of spectators with such power that several at once joined their ranks. He accompanied this brave band when they marched, sometimes at night, under lashing November rain, and arrived at their destination nearly as wet as men who had sum across a river. He saw them facing fearful odds in their bold attempt to secure freedom, and was present at Battle of Rullion Green, where they drove back the hosts of Dalziel, and only yielded when overpowered by superior numbers. He came off the field with Barscobe, and felt convinced that had five hundred more men been on the Covenanting side the victory would have been theirs…^S2

After this disaster a proclamation was read at the market crosses, making it treason to converse with or reset Gabriel Semple, and ordering all loyal subjects to pursue him as the worst of traitors. He found shelter in a remote spot in the bosom of the Cheviots, not far from Yetholm, at the “house of Mrs. Ker of Wells,” where he was kept in so close hiding that few members of the family were aware of his being in their dwelling. It was dangerous to remain in Scotland, and he sought shelter at Hazelrig, in Northumberland, where he found Henry Hall of Haughhead and made his first adventure to preach after the Pentlands’ defeat…^S2

In November of 1667, he visited Ireland… He may have been influence to leave the country under sentence of the Justiciary Court at Edinburgh, that passed in his absence in the month of August, condemning him and others to be “executed to death and deameaned as traitors.” Though an indemnity was offered in the following October to some who were in this rebellion, Semple was expressly excepted.^S2

Along with other two Covenanters he visited Dublin and other parts of Ireland, where he received great kindness from Irish Protestants, but returned ere long to Hazelrig…^S2

Semple frequently entered Scotland and addressed large conventicles on mosses and hillsides during day and sometimes also during night He thus became obnoxious to the government as a field preacher exerting a powerful influence against Episcopacy. In 1674 the Scottish Council offered L400 for his apprehension, an indemnity for slaughter committed on any who dared to stand up in his defence…^S2

On 6th February, 1679, to quicken the search for him, three thousand merks were offered for his apprehension; but nineteen days thereafter he preached at Langside, and on the 21st March following delivered a sermon at Mill-house in Kilbride…^S2

His wife, Alison Riddell, died at Hazelrig…^S2

Was in Scotland during the Battle of Bothwell, but took no part in that rising…^S2

On the 26th June 1679, Charles, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, defender of the faith, &c., issued a proclamation declaring it treason for any one to harbour or correspond with Gabriel Semple and others...^S2

Semple, obeying the proclamation of a Higher King, “preached here and there,” and for other two years eluded all attempts of his pursurers to seize him…^S2

A party of horsemen surrounded Blackcastle on the morning of a Lord’s Day in July, 1681. Semple was so sick that he made no attempt to excape, and the commander of those who apprehended him was induced to leave him in his sickbed till instructions regarding him arrived from Edinburgh…^S2

Taken to Edinburgh Prison…^S2

While he was spending dreary weeks in prison, Parliament passed the Test Act and other measures…^S2

After Parliament rose, a petition was presented to the Privy Council craving liberty for Semple on account of his sickenss…^S2

“upon surety to appear when called under penalty of L500 sterling.”…^S2

Other charges were brought against him, and within a few weeks he was again cited to appear; but on the advice of friends he fled to “England, into Lancashire and Yorkshire and Cumberland,” where he lived till the death of King Charles…^S2

Semple died at Jedburgh on 8th August, 1706, in the seventy-fifth year of his age.^S2

• Morton, Alexander S. Galloway and the Covenanters: Or, The Struggle For Religious Liberty In The South-West of Scotland. (Paisley, Scotland: Alexander Gardner, 1914), Page 456, 457.^S3

Gabriel Semple was second son of Sir Bryce Semple of Cathcart, Sheriff of Renfrew, and was a great-great-grandson of John, first Lord Semple. At the age of twenty-five, he was unanimously called to Kirkpatrick-durham, as the Records of Dumfries Presbytery show: — ^S3

"At Dumfries, 23 December, 1656, James Gordon of Bar, William Gordon of MacCartney with some others of the elders of the Parish of Kirkpatrick of the Moore, compeiring did present ane unanimous supplication subscryved by the heritours, elders, and tennents of that parish earnestly desyring the Presbytry to present Air. Gabriell Semple to his tryalls in order to his settling amongst them conforme to ane cleir and unanimous call subscryved by them and delivered to the said Mr. Gabriell Semple." ^S3

He was ordained on the 26th May following, when,

"after sermon had by Mr. Walter Gledstaines, Moderator, the said Mr. Gabriell Semple was solemnly admitted into the ministry thereof by Invocation of God's name and Imposition of hands according to the custom of this Church, and was heartily received by the gentlemen, elders and people of the parish, who gave unto him the right hand of fellowship in corrohoration of their former call and invitation which they had formerly and unanimously given." ^S3

He was thus the choice of the people, but he was driven out by the Act of 1662, and with Welsh of Irongray, took up his abode at Corsook. He joined the Dairy Rising, and preached to the Covenanters at Ochiltree and Lanark. Afterwards he left the country, but, venturing back to Scotland, proclamations were issued against him. He was captured in 1681, and, after three months' imprisonment in Canongate Jail ^S4, he was liberated on Bond for ten thousand merks. He withdrew to England and was afterwards appointed to Jedburgh, where he remained till his death in 1706, at the age of seventy-four. He was married to a daughter of Sir Walter Riddel of Riddel, and left several children.^S3

1.   Douglass, Robert. The Baronage of Scotland: Containing, An Historical and Genealogical Account of the Gentry of that Kingdom. (London: Cadell & Davies, 1798)
   Vol. 1, Pages 467, 468, 469.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Stewart, Duncan; Smith, John. The Covenanters of Teviotdale and Neighbouring Districts. (Galashiels: A. Walker & Son, Publishers., 1908)
   Chapter 7, Pages 77 to 92.
3.   Morton, Alexander S. Galloway and the Covenanters: Or, The Struggle For Religious Liberty In The South-West of Scotland. (Paisley, Scotland: Alexander Gardner, 1914)
   Page 456, 457.
4.   Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
   Canongate Tolbooth.
5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Scott, Hew. Fasti Ecclesiæ scoticanæ: the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1915-)
   Vol. 2, Page 126.
6. ↑ Wood, J. Maxwell. Witchcraft and Superstitious Record in the: South-Western District of Scotland. (Dumfries, Scotland: J. Maxwell & Son, 1911)
   Page 115.

   Resolution of the Dumfries Presbytery regarding the attendance of clergymen before the carrying out of the sentence, and at the actual “burning” of the women, on the Sands – 5th April, 1659.
   The Presbytery have appointed Mr. Hugh Henrison, Mr Wm. M’Gore, Mr George Campbell, Mr John Brown, Mr Jo. Welsh, Mr George Johnston, Mr Wm. Hay, and Mr Gabriel Semple, to attend the nine witches, and that they take their own convenient opportunity to confer with them; also that they be assisting to the brethren of Dumfries and Galloway the day of the Execution.

7. ↑ Later Scots-Irish Links, 1575-1725
   Part Three, [Cal.SP.Ire.1669].
8.   Swinton, A. C.; Swinton, J. L. Concerning Swinton Family Records and Portraits at Kimmerghame. (Edinburgh, Scotland: Lindsay, John).

   Gabriel Semple had several wives. According to a paper drawn up by Lord Swinton, his great grandson, Samuel Semple, was Gabriel's son by Ann Lochart, niece of Loch art of Deer. He was for many years minister of Liberton, and is probably buried in the ministers' burial ground, which is under the present church tower.

9.   Mackenzie, William. The history of Galloway, from the earliest period to the present time. (Kirkcudbright: J. Nicholson, 1841)
   ii, pt 1. p 167-8.

   Proclamation declaring those persons at Rullion Green to be rebels and traitors, and prohibiting having any contact with them.
   Proclamation discharging the receipt of the rebels, December 4th, 1666.
   
   Charles, by the grace of God, King of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, to all and sundry our lieges and loving subjects whom these presents do or may concern, greeting: forasmuch we, upon the first notice given to our privy council, of the rising and the gathering of these disloyal and seditious persons in the west, who have of late appeared in arms, in a desperate and avowed rebellion against us, our government, and laws, we declare them to be traitors, and discharge all our subjects to assist , reset, supply or correspond with any of them, under the pain of treason; and the said rebels and traitors being now, by the blessing of God upon our forces, subdued, dissipated and scattered, and such of them as were not either killed or taken in the field, being lurking in the country; and we being unwilling that any of our good subjects should be ensnared or brought in trouble by them, have therefore, by the advice of our privy council, thought fit again to hereby to discharge and inhibit all our subjects, that none of them offer or presume to harbour, reset, supply, or correspond, hide or conceal, the persons of Colonel James Wallace, major Learmont; Maxwell of Monrief younger; Maclellan of Barscob; Gordon of Parbreck; Maclellan of Balmagachan; Cannon of Burnshalloch younger; Cannon of Barley younger; Cannon of Mordrogget younger; Welsh of Skar; Welsh of Cornley; Gordon of Garery in Kells; Robert Chalmers brother to Gadgrith; Henry Grier of Balmaclellan; David Scott in Irongray; John Gordon in Midton of Dalry; William Gordon there; John Macnaught there; Robert and Gilbert Cannons there; Gordon of Bar elder in Kirkpatrick Durham; Patrick Macnaught in Cumnock; John Macnaught, his son; Gordon of Holm younger; Dempster of Carridow; Grier of Dalgoner; - of Sundiwall; Ramsay in the Mains of Arniston; John Hutchison in Newbottle; Row chaplain to Scotstarbet; Patrick Liston in Calder; William Liston his son; James Wilkie in the Mains of Cliftonhall; the Laird of Caldwell; the goodman of Caldwell; the laird of Kersland; the Laird of Bedlandcunningham; Porterfield of Quarrelton; Alexander Porterfield, his brother; Lockhart of Wicketshaw; Trail son to Mr Robert Trail; David Poe in Pokelly; Mr Gabriel Semple; John Semple; Mr John Guthrie; Mr John Welsh; Mr Samuel Arnot; Mr James Smith; Mr Alexander Peden; Mr Orr; Mr William Veitch; Mr Patton; Mr Cruikshanks; Mr Gabriel Maxwell; Mr John Carstairs; Mr James Mitchell; Mr William Forsyth, or any others who concurred or joined in the late rebellion, or who, upon account thereof, have appeared in arms in any part of that our kingdom; but that they pursue them as the worst of traitors, and present and deliver such of them as they shall have within their power, to the lords of our privy council, the sheriff of the county, or the magistrates of the next adjacent burgh royal, to be made by them forthcoming to law ; certifying all such as be found to fail in their duty herein, they shall be esteemed and punished as favourers of the said rebellion, and as persons accessory to, and guilty of the same. And to the end, all our good subjects may have timeous notice hereof, we do ordain these presents to be forthwith printed, and published at the market crosses of Edinburgh, Ayr, Lanark, Glasgow, Irvine, Wigtown, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries, and remnent market crosses of our said kingdom: and we do recommend to the right reverend our archbishops and bishops, to give orders that this our proclamation be with all possible diligence read on the Lord`s day, in all churches within their several dioceses.Given at Edinburgh, the fourth day of December, and our reign the eighteenth year, one thousand six hundred and sixty six.

10.   Gordon, Alexander. Freedom after ejection: a review (1690-1692) of Presbyterian and Congregational nonconformity in England and Wales. (Manchester: University Press, 1917)
    Page 348.

    SEMPLE, GABRIEL, M.A. (1632 ?-Aug. 1706). Second son of Sir Bryce Semple, of Cathcart, Educ. Glasgow; M.A., 1653. Minister of Kirkpatrick-Durham, Kirkcudbrightsh., 1657; deprived, 1 O. 1662. He was the earliest of the field preachers, and engaged in several risings against the government in Scotland. Visited Irelad and the North of England. Occupied for some time the church of Ford, Northum. Etal is a chapelry in Ford parish. Decalred a traitor, 1679. Arrested, July 1681, in Scotland; broke his bail, and withdrew to England. Reinstated at Kirkpatrick-Durham, 25 Apr. 1689; translated to Jedburgh, 29 O. 1690. (Sf.) [80]

11. ↑ The historical significance of this memorial is unique, since it provides a link between the McLellan/Neilsone family and the Act of Indemnity 1662. John Neilsone, Laird of Corsock, was one of the leaders in the 1662-1666 Covenanter uprising in the Galloway . His deeds included, in 1662 giving shelter to the evicted Presbyterian minister of Kirkpatrick-Durham, Reverend Gabriel Semple. Gabriel Semple failed to attend the Anglican appointed bishop and be formally appointed by him instead of elected by the local congregation. He also attended Gabriel Semple’s first, and subsequent, ‘Conventicles’ (outside preaching) in Corsock Wood and neighbouring fields. This led to the planned capture of Sir James Turner (sent to defeat the rebellion) in 1666, and the subsequent march on Edinburgh to appeal to the Privy Council for amends. The Covenanters only got as far as Colinton, near the foot of the Pentland Hills, where they were confronted and defeated by government troops. The leaders of the uprising were tried, including John Neilsone, and convicted for treason culminating in their hangings in Edinburgh between 7th and 22nd of December 1666. Since there is no burial site of John Neilsone, Laird of Corsock, in his home parish the inscription on his wife’s, Mary McLellan, gravestone is a local memorial to his beliefs.