Cargill, Donald

Cargill, Donald, one of the leaders of the Scotch Covenanters (q.v.), was born in Perthshire about 1610. He received his education at Aberdeen, entered the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, and was pastor of the Barony church, at Glasgow. When the English Church was established in 1661, he refused to accept his charge from the archbishop, and also refused to leave Scotland when banished. After the battle of Bothwell Bridge, in which he took part, he fled to Holland, but returned to Scotland, and took part with the "Cameronians" (q.v.), or strict Presbyterians. Pursued by the military, he was surprised, with his friend, Henry Hall, at Queensferry, June 3, 1680, but he escaped, while Hall was mortally wounded. On Hall's person was found a "Declaration of Principles," which caused a still hotter pursuit of Cargill. Cargill, Cameron, and others now prepared what is known as the "Sanquhar Declaration," because it was affixed to the market-cross at Sanquhar, June 22, 1680. Cargill was declared a traitor, and a price set on his head. In September he publicly "excommunicated" the king and others at Torwood. Hunted from place to place, he preached his last sermon on Dunsyre Common, July 10, 1681, and was arrested the same night at Covington Mill. He was tried and condemned, the casting vote being given by the duke of Argyle, who afterward bitterly repented this act. Cargill was executed at Edinburgh, July 27, 1681. — Hetherington, History of the Church of Scotland, vol. 2, ch. 2; Biographia Presbyteriana, 2 (Edinburgh, 2d ed. 1835); History of the Cocenanters (Presbyterian Board, Phila.), vol. 2, ch. 3; Hook, Ecclesiastes Biography, 2:435.