John Nisbet

John Nisbet (1627–1685) was a Scottish covenanter who was executed for participating in the insurgency at Bothwell Brig and earlier conflicts and for attending a conventicle.

He attended the 1650 coronation of Charles II at Scone, where he subscribed the covenant, swearing his allegiance to ‘all the acts of reformation attained to in Scotland from 1638 to 1649’.

He refused to countenance the curates, and attended the ministrations of the ‘outed’ ministers, renewed the covenants at Lanark in 1666, and was one of the small band who published the declarations of the Societies at Rutherglen, Glasgow, and Sanquhar.

He fought at Rullion Green (28 Nov. 1666) till, covered with wounds, he fell down and was stripped and left for dead upon the field.

[13] In November 1685 he was surprised, with three others, at a place called Midland, in the parish of Fenwick, Ayrshire, his captor being a cousin of his own, Lieutenant Robert Nisbet.

[10][20] Dr. Tweedie said: "Few, perhaps, would now approve of all the sentiments emitted by John Nisbet; but there can be as few who do not admire the fortitude with which he endured for what he reckoned the truth, and the patience with which he suffered rather than consent to violate his conscience or compromise his convictions.".

Nibset was threatened with excommunication for having his child baptised by one of the expelled ministers [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
Covenanter memorial to John Nisbet [ 3 ] and his son James Nisbet and to John Nisbet, the younger [ 4 ] and others
memorial in Loudoun Parish Churchyard