From Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, vol 3, pp. 460-1:

St Mungo’s church, Collegiate charge 1655-1693

JOHN CARSTAIRS, born 1623, elder son of James C., St Andrews, and Elizabeth Carstairs of Newgrange
educated at St Andrews Univ. ; M.A. (1641); licen. by Presb. of St Andrew: 15th Sept. 1646; ord. to Cathcart 23rd June 1647 ; trans, to Outer High Charge 2nd July 1650; he was present at the Battle of Dunbar in 1651, where he was wounded, stripped naked, and left for dead ; adm. to this charge after 26th April 1655. Proposals were made about the time for a union of the Resolutioners and Protesters, and at a meeting of the latter; when some were expressing themselves ready to agree, provided their opponents would make a confession of fault, he declared, “Let us agree with our brethren though they should never confess confess a fault.”  He had the West Quarter for his charge in 1659, and the East, 1660-2. He was deprived and imprisoned by the Privy Council, 28th May 1662, for not taking the Oath of Allegiance, and was again required to appear before the Council 9th Dec. that year on a charge of sedition. For having witnessed the signature of Wood, his brother-in-law, to a declaration contradieting the archbishop’s story of his recantation, the primate ever after bore him a grudge. He was summoned before the Court of High Commission 29th April 166? when he concealed himself, stating in letter to the Chancellor, William, Earl Glencairn, that so far from “keeping conventicles or disturbing the public peace
I have been sometimes three, sometimes six weeks, sometimes two full months that I have never gone out of doors; neither did my not compearing proceed from contempt of his Majesty s authority,
but for other reasons.” Sometime after he sailed to Ireland, and arrived 2nd May. Here he remained about eight weeks and then returned, landing in Kintyre. With reluctance, he joined in the rising of 1666, for which he was indicted with others 14th Aug., and included in the indemnity of 1st Oct. 1667. He retired to Holland, where he was earnestly entreated to become one of the ministers of the Scots Church, Rotterdam, in 1677, but refused to accept. He was present in July that year at a meeting of ministers in the West, who sought redress of their grievances through the influence of John, Duke of Lauderdale. After this he resided quietly in Edinburgh, suffering much from ill-health. He attended Lord Chancellor Rothes on his deathbed, and was with the Earl of Argyll the Sunday before his execution. After much suffering, borne with magnanimity and cheerfulness, he was attacked by gout in the heart, and died 5th Feb. 1686. He had a great gift of oratory, and it is said that at one Communion service he not only preached the “action” sermon, but also exhorted no less than fourteen or sixteen tables.
He marr. 1647, Janet (died 15th June 1685), third daugh. of William Mure of Glanderston (she was imprisoned 4th May 1679 for attending a conventicle), and had issue William, D.D., Principal of Edinburgh Univ. (q.v.) ; Alexander, M.A., merchant, Rotterdam ; Robert ; Jean (marr. Principal
Joseph Drew); Margaret (marr. (1) pro. 16th Dec. 1690, William Mackie, min. of Markinch : (2) pro. 15th Sept. 1706, Major James Colt) ; Sarah (marr. William Dunlop, Principal of the Univ. of Glasgow); Katherine.

Publications:
Letters to the Chancellor, to a Minister, and to Middleton, Secretary of State (Wodrow s Hist.,
i. 405, iv. 39), to Mr Robert M’Cuard (Calderwood’s Hist., viii.); Epistles prefixed to Durham’s Commentarie on the Revelation (Edinburgh, 1658); Treatise concerning Scandal (1659); Calderwood’s
True History of the Church of Scotland (Rotterdam, 1678) ; Unsearchable Riches of Christ (1684) ; Song for these Sad Times, a poem (1690) ; Letters (Ferrie’s Life) (Edinburgh, 1843). [Wodrow’s Anal. ; Edin. Bur. Reg. ; Glasy. Lapt. Reg. ; Ferrie’s Carstairs ; Steven’s Scott. Ch. Rotterdam, 58; Caldwell Papers; Baillie’s Lett. ; Brodie’s Diary ; Dict. Nat. Biog.}
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