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Sweet Singers

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a small Scottish sect, called from their founder, John Gib, the GIBBITES (See GIBBITES) (q.v.). They forsook all worldly business, and professed to be entirely devoted to fasting and prayer in the open fields. The name "Sweet Singers" was given to them from their habit of "wailing a portion" of the more mournful psalms. They renounced and denounced the use of metrical psalms, the translation of the Bible, Longer and Shorter Catechisms, the Confession of Faith, the Covenant, names of months and days, the use of churches and church-yards; all kinds of tolls, custom, and tribute, all sports, and, indeed, everything and everybody but themselves. They finally undertook a pilgrimage to the Pentland Hills, where they remained some days, with a resolution to sit till they saw the smoke of the desolation of Edinburgh, which their leader had predicted. They were committed to prison in Edinburgh in April. 1681, but were soon, released. See Blunt, Dict. of Sects, s.v.; M'Crie, Scottish Church History, 2, 195. SWEET SINGERS, the English RANTERS (See RANTERS) (q.v.) of the 17th century, so called by some contemporary writers.