Baillie, ROBERT

Baillie, ROBERT, of Jerviswood, the 'Scottish Sidney,' was a native of Lanarkshire, who first came into notice in 1676 through his rescue of a brother-in-law, the Rev. Mr Kirkton, from the clutches of Archbishop Sharp's principal informer. For this he was fined 6000 merks (£318), and, refusing to pay, was sent to prison; but so strong was the indignation of the Scottish gentry, that he was released at the end of four months, on payment of half the fine. In 1683 he took a prominent part in a scheme of emigration to South Carolina, as he saw no other refuge from the degrading tyranny of the government. About the same time, however, he entered into correspondence with the heads of Monmouth's supporters in London, Russell and Sidney, and subsequently repaired there to concert measures for securing adequate reforms. On the discovery of the Rye-house Plot, he was arrested and sent down to Scotland. Accused of conspiring against the king's life, and of hostility to monarchical government, he was tried at Edinburgh, and condemned to death upon evidence at once insignificant and illegal. His bearing, both on his trial and during his imprisonment, was such that his cousin, Bishop Burnet, declared 'it looked like a reviving of the spirit of the noblest of the old Greeks or Romans, or rather of the primitive Christians and martyrs.' The barbarous sentence for high treason was carried into execution on the very day that it was passed, 24th December 1684.