List of Scottish Covenanters – Index The following pages are about the Covenanters – the persecuted `faithful remnant` of the Presbyterian Church. Their story is an integral part of the larger saga of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland between 1560 – 1690, when the Church of Scotland ` was by law established`. Within the articles […]
MONASTIC OFFICERS. Extracted from The Monasticon, Rev J F S Gordon (1868) Vol 1. ABBOT Is a Syrian term signifying Father, Abbe, and was anciently applied to all Monks, but especially to those who were venerable for age or peculiar sanctity; and hence, in process of time, it was restricted n its application to the […]
Martyrs of the Scottish Reformation. There were relatively few martyrs in Scotland in the early days of the Reformation – as it happened far more were burnt for witchcraft. Those that were burnt at the stake for religion were sometimes prominent persons eg Hamilton and Wishart, but all died as an example to others – […]
Glossary. [ For larger image click on thumbnail ] This Glossary consists of pages extracted from The Works of John Knox, Ed. David Laing (1845) Vol 2, p 603-618. It provides explanation of the 17C language used in most of the verbatim quotes on this site. A tip: – spelling was basically phonetic and varied […]
Proclamation issued by William the Third when in Belfast 19 June 1690 requiring good conduct from members of his forces. Cited in Old Belfast Ed R.M.Young (1896) Our chief intention and design in this our Royal Expedition being to reduce our Kingdom of Ireland to such a state that all who behave themselves as becomes […]
The allocation of land in the Plantation of Ulster The Plantation was essentially the settlement of land by people who would be loyal to the English Crown. The land had been seized, or rather deemed to have been abandoned (escheated) when the Irish Earls fled the country, The persons who received land, were called “Undertakers” […]
Rev Alexander Henderson. Along with his friend, a brilliant young advocate named Archibald Johnson of Warriston (later Lord Warriston ) Alexander Henderson was responsible for the drafting of both the National Covenant in 1638 and the Solemn League and Covenant in 1643. For these acts alone he deserves a niche in Covenanting history. But it […]
PRISONERS HELD IN DUNNOTTAR CASTLE. “The Black Book of Kincardinshire” lists the prisoners held in “the Whigs Vault” of Dunnottar Castle, who were not banished: all of them refused the oath of allegiance, and many of them refused his majesty`s authority, and to swear the oath of allegiance before the Ld Gosford, [at] Bruntilland [ Burntisland, […]
The Six Johns. The six Johns were Knox, Spottiswoode, Willock, Row, Douglas and Winram, who jointly produced the First Book of Faith. This gave a creed to the new Church and, amongst other things, justified the action taken by the Congregation. They also produced the First Book of Discipline, or the Policie and Discipline of […]
The Book of Conclusions and Reformations 1395. The Book of Conclusions or Reformations, exhibited to the Parliament holden at London, and set up at Paul’s door and other places, in the eighteenth year of the reign of King Richard II, and in the year of our Lord 1395. [They were exhibited by Sir Thomas Latimer […]
The Beggars Summons or Warning. [ Extract from The Works of John Knox, David Laing (1895) Vol 1 fn p 320-1 Also Calderwoods History of the Kirk of Scotland, vol 1 p 423 where he quotes 1 January 1559] The Beggars Warning was a formal summons that was affixed to the door of every friary […]
Proclamation declaring those persons at Rullion Green to be rebels and traitors, and prohibiting having any contact with them. [ Mackenzie, History of Galloway, ii, pt 1. p 167-8. Note the title Mr usually indicates a minister of the kirk.] Proclamation discharging the receipt of the rebels, December 4th, 1666. Charles, by the grace […]
Hugh Latimer (1470- 16 October 1554). Hugh Latimer is regarded by many as one of the most zealous reformers in England, having begun his ecclesiastical career as a priest and a fierce defender of the Church of Rome . Not only zealous , he was an impressive orator with great sincerity who pressed his teachings […]
Religious Orders in Scotland ca 1560 On the eve of the Reformation the religious houses of Scotland were represented by : Four houses of Benedictine monks – Coldingham, Dunfermline, Iona and Pluscarden. Two houses of Cluniac monks – Crossraguel and Paisley. Five houses of Tironensian monks – Arbroath, Kelso, Kilwinning, Lesmahagow, and Lindores. Eleven houses […]