Kirk Session of Penninghame. February 19, 1711

"Gilbert Wilson of Glenvernock, in Castle Stewart's land, being a man to ane excess conform to the guise of the tymes, and his wife without challenge for her religion, in good condition as to worldly things, with a great stock on a large ground, (fit to be a prey) was harassed by his childrane who would not conform. They being required to take the test and hear the curates, refused both; were searched for, fled, and lived in the wild mountains, bogs, and caves. Their parents were charged, on the highest peril, that they should neither harbour them, speak to them, supplie them, nor see them; and the country people were obliged by the terror of the law to pursue them as well as the soldiers with hue and cry."

"In February 1685, Thomas Wilson of sixteen years of age, Margaret Wilson of eighteen years, Agnes Wilson of thirteen years, children of the said Gilbert - the said Thomas keeping the mountains; his two sisters Margaret and Agnes went secretly to Wigtown to see some friends, were there discovered, taken prisoners, and instantly thrust into the thieves hole as the greatest malefactors; whence they were sometymes brought up to the tolbooth after a considerable tymes imprisonment, where several others were prisoners for the like cause, particularily one Margaret M'Lachlan of Kirkinner parish, a women of sixty three years of age."

After their imprisonment for some considerable tyme, Mr David Graham, sheriff, the Laird of Lagg, Major Winram, Captain Strachan, called ane assize, indicted these three women, viz Margaret M'Lachlan; Margaret Wilson, Agnes Wilson, to be guilty of the Rebellion at Bothwell Bridge, Airds Moss, twenty field conventicles, and twenty house conventicles. Yet it was well known that none of these women ever were within twenty miles of Bothwell or Airds Moss; and Agnes Wilson being eight years of age at the time of Airds Moss could not be deep in rebellion then, nor her sister of thirteen years of age and twelve years at Bothwell Bridge its tyme. The assize did sitt and brought them in guilty, and these judges sentenced them `to be tied to palisados fixed in the sand and within the flood mark, and there to stand till the flood overflowed them and drowned them'.

They received their sentences without the least discouragement, with a composed smiling countenace, juding it their honour to suffer for Christ's truth, that He alone is king and Head of His Church. Gilbert Wilson forsaid got his youngest daughter, Agnes Wilson, out of prison upon his bond of one hundred pounds sterling to produce her when called for, after the sentence of death past against her; tyme they were in prison no means were unessayed with Margaret Wilson to perswade her to take the oath of abjuration and hear the curates with threatenings and flattery, but without any success.