Mark Coleman Wallace PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

All which he declares to be truth…
[Signed] John Andrew
[Signed] William Gordon, witness and John Murdoch
[Signed] William Eaton, witness
354
Declaration of Robert Ramsay 1800
George by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland
Defender of the faith
To…our Court of Justiciary, Messengers at Arms our Sheriffs in that part of
Conjunctly, and Severally, specially Constitute, Greeting, Whereas it is humbly
meant and complained to us by our Right Trust Robert Dundas Esq. of Arniston
our Advocate for our Interest upon John Andrew Shoemaker in Maybole And
some time Schoolmaster there And Robert Ramsay Cartwright there That Albeit
by the laws of this and of every other well governed Realm, Sedition, As Also,
the wickedly and & feloniously administering or causing to be administered
unlawful oaths, more especially when such oaths import an obligation not to
reveal or discover crimes which it is the duty of every good Citizen and Loyal
subject to divulge and bring to light; are crimes of an heinous nature and
Severely punishable Yet true it is and of Verity that the said John Andrew and
Robert Ramsay above complained on are both or one or other of them guilty
actors or art and part of the aforesaid Crime or Crimes In so far as the said John
Andrew and Robert Ramsay did under the Shew and pretence of a Meeting for
Masonry, Some time in the course of the year One thousand seven hundred and
Ninety Six, at Maybole parish of Maybole and County of Ayr; along with others
their associates, most of them from Ireland, form themselves into an illegal club
or association Styling itself “The Grand Assembly of Knights Templars” or
bearing some such name; which club or Association under pretence of initiating
into the Ceremonies of Masonry, did admit various persons as Members, and did
at said admission perform various ceremonies partly with a view to vilify and
undermine the established Religion, and partly to represent the Constitution and
Government of the Country As oppressive and Tyrannical; and did with this
view oblige those who were admitted Members to take, and did Administer to
them an oath binding them among other things “to conceal the Secrets of the
Order of Knights Templars, Murder and Treason Not excepted” or an oath of
some such import and tendency; more particularly the said John Andrew and
Robert Ramsay above complained on or one or other of them being Members of
the said Association did at Maybole Aforesaid On the Twenty Second day of
August, One thousand Seven hundred and Ninety Six, at a Meeting held by the
said illegal Association, and at which The said John Andrew Acted as Master or
Preses wickedly and feloniously administer or cause to be administered to
Quintin Stewart Taylor [and William Hamilton] an oath or engagement binding
him “to conceal and not to reveal or discover the Secrets of the Order of Knights
Templars, Murder and Treason Not excepted,” Or an oath or engagement of a
Similar impart.
Further, the said John Andrews, and Robert Ramsay above complained
on, or one or other of them did at Maybole Aforesaid On the seventeenth day of