LEIGHTON, ROBERT, Archbishop of Glasgow, was born in the year 1611. His father, Alexander Leighton,
a descendant of the ancient family of Ulyshaven in Forfar-shire, commenced his academical studies at St Andrews, and afterwards repaired to Leyden, where he took the degree of M.D. Having fixed his residence as a medical practitioner in London, he met with strong opposition from the College of Physicians. In order to publish his Sions Plea against the Prelacie, he retired to Holland; and in 1629 became minister of the English church at Utrecht. But his conscientious scruples in regard to the observance of festivals, induced him to resign his charge within a few months. His book having been printed in the course of the preceding year, he returned to London. Two copies were presented to parliament two days before the dissolution; and he was immediately arrested by two pursuivants of the high commission, and conducted to the house of Laud, then Bishop of London, and inquisitor-general of England. On the bishop's warrant he was committed to a loathsome dungeon in Newgate, and only after fifteen weeks did the inquisitors permit his wife to visit him. In the interval his house had been ransacked and robbed by Laud's emissaries, who by their brutality so frightened one little boy of five years old, "that he never recovered it all his days." By flattering promises, one of Laud's agents prevailed upon him to confess that he was the writer of the book; but neither threats nor entreaties could induce him to betray any one of his friends and adherents. Before the court of Star-Chamber he repeated the admission, that he was the author of the book, but denied all criminality of intention. No counsel dared to plead his cause, and he returned to prison to await his doom. It was the opinion of four physicians that poison had been administered to him in Newgate. He had been seized with a violent distemper, which was accompanied with loathsome symptoms, and his strength was so completely exhausted that he could not be produced before this atrocious court. In his absence, he was sentenced (4th June 1630) to pay a fine of £10,000; it was also ordained that the high commission should degrade him from his ministry; that he should be brought to the pillory at Westminster, should be whipped, have one of his ears cut off, one side of his nose slit, and his face branded with the letters S. S., denoting a sower of sedition; that he should then be carried back to prison, and, after a few days, should again be pilloried at Cheapside, should then likewise be whipped, have his other ear cut off, and the other side of his nose slit; and should then be detained in close custody in the Fleet prison for the remainder of his life. When this sentence was pronounced, it has been stated that Laud pulled off his cap, and gave thanks to the God of mercy.1 Before the execution of the sentence, Leighton made his escape from prison; and two of his countrymen, named Anderson and Elphinstone, were each fined £500 for aiding and abetting him in his flight. He was, however, retaken in Bedfordshire, and endured the first part of his punishment on the 26th of November; it was inflicted with the most unrelenting severity; the second part followed after a short interval; and thus miserably mutilated, he lingered in prison for nearly ten years.2 In 1640 he presented a petition to the Long Parliament, reciting the direful persecution to which he had been subjected, and he now obtained such redress as could be afforded to him; "but," as Dr Benson has too truly re-
remarked, "no sufficient reparation in this world could possibly be made to a man so highly injured."3 Leighton.