The Placards against the Mass. 24 October 1534. [ Extract from J A Wylie, History of Protestantism,vol 2 p 206-7] Undoubtedly frustration was building among the French Protestants who saw their dream taking place elsewhere in Germany and Switzerland, and a consensus was reached that positive action should be taken. They sought the advice of […]
James Sharp, Minister of Crail, Archbishop of St Andrews. “For well concocted , cold blooded, systematic dissimulation , he stands almost without a match in History “ Dodds, The Fifty Year Struggle“p 99. In Covenanting history James Sharp was possibly the most reviled of all those in power both for allegedly being a turncoat and […]
A doggerel poem about the “Whigs” Cited in Peterkins Records [fn. p 533] . Hewison`s Covenanters vol ii p 198-9 quotes the first 19 lines with an additional, second, line ` Or else the end of cauld November` and refers to a contemporary manuscript about the time of Rullion Green, 29 November 1666. There is […]
An independent and contemporary view of the proceedings in the Scottish Parliament at the establishment of the Reformation Letter from Thomas Randolph, English envoy to Scotland, to Sir William Cecil, principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I, dated 19 August 1560.Cited in Works of Knox, vol. vi, p 116. YOUR Honour shall presently receave the coppie […]
The Pentland Rising – Rullion Green. The Pentland Rising and the Battle of Rullion Green is an important event in Covenanter history because it was the first time the Covenanters had come together as a substantial force to protest the constraints upon their religion since the Restoration of King Charles II. Significantly it arose not […]
Bibliography and Sources Many of the Scottish resources are to be found in the National Archives, the Public Library and the National Library of Scotland, all in Edinburgh. The on line catalogue of the National Library is especially helpful in identifying sources and may be accessed on the Internet at www. nls.uk . Major libraries […]
Act of Suspension 21 October 1559. [ Reproduced from The Works of John Knox, Ed David Laing (1845) Vol 1, p 444-452] [For large image click on thumbnail ] The Act is somewhat lengthy but important, as it reiterates the Congregation`s position and lists the rationale for the decision to declare Mary of Guise removed […]
Letter from the Congregation to the Queen Regent. To the Queen’s Grace, Regent, all humble obedience and duetie promised. “As heeretofore, with jeopard of our lives, and yitt with willing hearts, we have served the authoritie of Scotland, and your Grace, now regent in this realme, in service to our bodeis dangerous and painefull; so […]
Transportation Extracts from the records of the Edinburgh Tolbooth (The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club Vol V, VI ) Transportation took place for civil crimes, prisoners of war, as well as for Covenanting activities and rebellion, with prisoners being sent as slaves for sale, and as bondsmen having given themselves to labour for a […]
DOUBLE DATES IN SCOTLAND, AND DATE CHANGES IN THE UK. —By an Act of the Privy Council of 17th December 1599, it was ordained that, in agreement with the general practice on the Continent, the 1st of January should, beginning with the year 1600, be reckoned as the first day of the year. Prior to […]
The Benedictine Orders in Medieval England. The arrival of William the Conqueror in 1066 is a convenient point to start as among the conquerors retinue was Ingulf, who had a prime role in the acceptance and establishment of monasteries in England. Ingulf had been secretary to William since meeting him in 1051 and had then […]
Children in the Industrial Revolution to Today Literature gives us some examples of the cruel way children were exploited during the Industrial Revolution. Several of Charles Dickens novels give vivid descriptions of the schools and the workhouse, and Charles Kingsley’s ” Water Babies” gives some idea of the miserable life of the young boys […]
Introduction to the Scottish Reformation – ca 1525- 1690. From the time of James I (reign 1406-1437) the succession of the House of Stuart had gone to the very young—James II was six years old, James III was eight, James IV was fifteen, James V was two, Mary Queen of Scots, but one week old, […]
Adam Wallace, Martyr 12 October 1550 The capture of St Andrew`s Castle and the sending of John Knox to the French galleys dealt a deadly blow to the Reformation and gave the priests and prelates confidence that they could now stifle all opposition to them. By fair means and foul they sought revenge on […]