‘Upone the second day of Junij, Mr Johne Gregorie, minister at Dalmoak, wes brocht in to Munro be ane pairtie of soldiouris. He wes takin out of his naikit bed upone the nicht, and his hous pitifullie plunderit. He wes cloislie keepit in Skipper Andersonis hous haveing fyve muskiteris watching him day and nicht, sustenit upone his awin expensis. None, no nocht his awin wyfe could have privie conference of him, so straitlie wes he watchit. At last he is fynit to pay generall Major Munro 1000 merkis for his outstanding agains the covenant and syne gat libertie to go. Bot in the Generall Assemblie holdin in July, he wes nevertheless simpliciter deprivit, becaus he wold not subscryve the covenant; and when all wes done he is forst to yield, cum in and subscryve, as ye have hierafter.’ It was not till 1641 that, at St Andrews, the Laird of Drum’s petition for his restoration had effect; when in token of his reinstatement, Gregorie along with his rival, Mr Andrew Cant, was chosen to preach at the visitation of the Presbytery of Aberdeen. This fellowship with a man, whose qualities have been embalmed in his name, very nearly cost him the favour of the party to which he now belonged. Here again is Spalding’s account, naïve and full of the spirit of the time. ‘Upone Tuysday 6^{th} September, Mr Johne Gregorie, minister at Dulmoak at the visitatioun of the Kirk of New Abirdene teichit most lernidlie upone the 4^{th} verss of the 2^{nd} chapdour to the Collosians, and reprehendit the order of our Kirk and new brocht in poyntes. Mr Andrew Cant, sitting besyde the reidar, as his use was, offendit at this doctrein, quicklie cloissit the reidaris buke, and laid down the glass befoir it wes run, thinking the minister sould the sooner mak an end; bot he beheld and preichit half ane hour longer nor the tyme. Sermon endit the bretheren convenis to their visitatioun, quhair Mr Andrew Cant impugnit this doctrein, desyring the said Mr Johne to put the samen in wreit, who answerit, he wold not only wreit bot print his preiching, if neid so requirit, and baid be all what he had teichit as orthodox doctrien. The bretheren hard all and had their owne opiniouns, and but ony more censure they disolvit, sumwhat perturbit with Cantis curiositie. Upone Thuirsday, he raillit out in his sermon aganes the said Mr Johne Gregorie’s doctrein, and on Sunday likwais. At last, be mediatioun of the toune’s balleis at a coup of wyne, they twa war satled with small credet to Cantis bussines.’