[1] He got his nickname for being imprisoned on the Bass Rock for around six years on the charge of being present at outdoor religious meetings.

Some 17th century church services were attended by armed defensive militia since the regime sent soldiers who attacked those at unauthorised meetings.

Spreul's wife died while he was in prison and he petitioned for his full release, rather than being sent to the American plantations as a slave, when in 1686 there were some concessions from the regime.

Spreul was liberated but initially refused to leave since the release order contained statements which he regarded as falsehoods.

After freedom, he seems to have quickly gained prominence and became a successful businessman being involved in fish processing and pearl trading.

When General Dalziel came to Kilmarnock in the year 1667, a party of soldiers were sent to Paisley, and took Mr Spreul prisoner, merely because he would not tell them where his father was.

[7] On 12 November 1680, he was apprehended by men looking for Donald Cargill, and being brought before the Council, was examined, and afterwards put to the torture before a Committee of their number.

[9] On 2 March 1681, Spreul was indicted before the High Court of Justiciary on the charge of treason and rebellion, for alleged accession to the insurrection at Bothwell Bridge.

[10] Upon this, instead of being liberated, he was still kept prisoner; and, on pretext of being present at field conventicles he was fined £500 sterling, and sent to the Bass, by an act of Privy Council, July 14, 1681.

A: Excuse me from going any further; I scruple to condemn what I cannot approve, seeing there may be a righteous judgment of God, where there is a sinful hand of man, and I may admire and adore the one when I tremble at the other.

A: After my return from Ireland I was at Hamilton seeking in money, and clearing counts with my customers, so I went through part of the west country army, and spoke with some there, since the king's high-way was as free to me as to other men; but I neither joined them as commander, trooper, nor soldier.

[1] Kirkton records that even in Dumfries, at the beginning of the Pentlands Rising, the insurgents drank the king's health and M'Crie, over about 8 pages, argues repeatedly that although they rose in arms, they were not rebels.

[14] He says those involved in the rising regarded it as "sinless self-defence" and they were wanting justice rather than seeking to overthrow the king or his government.

Mr Spreul having come from Ireland in the time of Bothwell, and being just now come from Holland, and owning he had been in company with Mr Cargill, the managers were of opinion that he could give them more information: and now being got into the inhuman way of putting people to the torture, and A. Stuart being examined this way, November 15, that same day the council pass the following act.

And give full power and commission to the earls of Argyle, Linlithgow, Perth, and Queensberry, treasurer-depute, register, advocate, justice-clerk, general Dalziel, Lord Collington, and Haddo, to call and examine the said persons in torture, upon the said interrogatories, and such other as they shall find pertinent upon the said heads, and report.

The preses told Mr Spreul, that if he would not make a more ample confession than he had done, and sign it, he behoved to underly the torture.

Favours were now shown to the prisoners; and after near seven years' imprisonment, Mr Spreul sent a petition to the council, which follows from the original.

Thereafter, when he was indicted, he was also cleared by the verdict of the whole assize, and thereupon assoiled by the lords of the justiciary; and at last being libelled before your lordships by his majesty's advocate, who could prove nothing against him, yet your lordships being pleased to fine him, and continue his imprisonment so long, because he had not freedom to depone upon the libel, the reasons wherefore he could not, being not only from grounds in law, but especially from conscience, and his obligation and respect to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which are at more length expressed in his information, together with a touch at a few of the great losses he hath sustained both before and since his imprisonment (what by sea, the great fire at Glasgow, house and shop taken from his wife in his absence, also by bad debtors, and through his imprisonment all is prescribed by law (that is due him) after three years past, the goods taken from him by major Johnston, and the death of his wife, and other great expenses since his imprisonment, (being these six years and five months) all which he humbly offereth to your lordships' consideration and pity.

May it therefore please your lordships, to grant your lordships' petitioner liberty to follow his lawful calling in his native country, at least in any other nation where he may with best conveniency, not that he petitioneth for his own banishment, (and so to be sold as a slave, the which he would not be ashamed of, for the gospel's sake, if he be called of the Lord to it,) but the liberty of a freeborn subject is that he humbly begs, at least liberty a competent time to see if by law he can obtain any thing of his debtors to maintain himself in prison, seeing nothing hath been hitherto allowed him out of the goods taken from him by major Johnston, neither out of the treasury."

"The lords of his majesty's privy council, having considered an address made in behalf of John Spreul apothecary in Glasgow, now prisoner in the isle of the Bass, supplicating for liberty, in regard of his majesty's late gracious proclamation, do hereby give order and warrant to Charles Maitland, lieutenant-governor of the isle of the Bass, to set the said John Spreul at liberty, he having found caution acted in the books of council, to appear before the council once in June next, under the penalty of one thousand pounds Scots money, in case of failie.

[18] James Sproule relates that "Bass John was present as a witness when King William and Queen Mary received the instrument of government and consented to the Claim of Rights which he himself had helped to draw up.

"[2] He also relates that "in 1696 a campaign was launched to pay ransoms to free Scots held by the Barbary pirates of North Africa.