Note 53 — The Life of Mr. Robert Bruce.

This was the famous Leighton doctor of divinity in the two universities of St. Andrews and Leyden, who, for writing of Zion's plea against prelacy, was apprehended at London by two ruffians, and brought before arch bishop Laud, who sentenced him (besides a fine of 10,000 pounds) to be tied to a stake, and receive thirty-six stripes with a triple cord, and then to stand two hours in the pillory (which he did in a cold winter night), and then to have his ear cut, his face fired and his nose slit; and the same to be repeated that day seven night, and his other ear cut off, with the slitting of the other side of his nose and burning his other cheek; all which was done with the utmost rigour, and then he was sent prisoner to the fleet, where he continued, till upon a petition to the parliament in 1640, he was released, and got for his reparation a vote of 6000 pounds, which it is said was never paid, and made warden of that prison wherein he had been so long confined, but through infirmity and bad treatment he did not long survive, being then seventy two years of age. See this more at length in Stevenson's history, vol. 30, page 948.