Definition of Benefice from a modern Catholic Encyclopaedia. (Lat. Beneficium, a benefit) Popularly the term benefice is often understood to denote either certain property destined for the support of ministers of religion, or a spiritual office or function, such as the care of souls, but in the strict sense it signifies a right, i. e. […]

Blackness Castle Blackness Castle at Falkirk, stands on the tip of a headland jutting out into the Forth and was designed, in 1440, to protect the port of Blackness and the hinterland of Linlithgow . A former castle home it was strengthened and turned into a military fortification by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart in […]

Rev  William  Guthrie  of  Fenwick.  Fenwick  is  a  small  village to the  north of  Kilmarnock  in  Ayrshire  but  it sits large  in  the  annals  of  the  Covenanters.  A  centre  for  resistance despite  the  close  proximity  of  military  garrisons  at  Kilmarnock  and  Newmilns. It  was  an  area  subject  to  repeated  raids  by  the  dragoons  which is […]

Rev James Guthrie of Stirling  It seems so easy to dismiss a persons life and efforts for whatever cause, in the hindsight of history.  The return of King Charles to the throne in 1660 resulted in the restoration of the king to his throne, his privy council, the Scottish parliament and judiciary and the return […]

Copy of a Letter, [ allegedly ] written under the King’s authority, to restrain the Benefices of the Romans within the Realm, AD 1231 In consequence of sundry griefs and oppressions which this realm, as you know, hath sustained by the Romanists, and yet doth as well to the prejudice of the king himself, as […]

Martin Luther`s Objections. The Humanists, such as Erasmus, and other satirical writers of the day  variously illustrated, commented upon and ridiculed the excesses of the Church of Rome. In their way they contributed to the Reformation, bringing the attention of the people generally to the practices and questioning why they were used. The challenge to […]

A Childrens` Covenant A Covenant Transaction with the Lord, by a society of Young Children, who met together in a meeting in Pentland Town, in the time of Persecution, when  there was no faithful minister in Scotland, anno 1683, ere that great burning and shining light, Mr. James Renwick, came an ordained minister from Holland. […]

Schedule of “dissolved” Monasteries.Extracted “Monks and Monasteries” Samuel Fox. James Burns, London,1845 [ For large image, click on thumbnail, then on expand icon bottom right.] Pages 8-13.

Outed Ministers, Curates, Conventicles. and the Blink. An important indicator of the support for the outed ministers was the absence of successors nominated by the patrons, but this had an unwanted side effect – the appointment of curates to fill the vacancies. The direct consequence of the outing of ministers was their illicit preaching in […]

Rev. Henry Duncan Minister at Ruthwell Moderator of the Church of Scotland  The Rev. Henry Duncan (1774 – 1846) would have earned a place in history even without his efforts to save the Ruthwell Cross. He was also a leading geologist, antiquarian and an accomplished artist. He was the discoverer of the first fossil footprints […]

Peaceful co existence of the Presbyterians shattered. Peaceful co existence was shattered by the resurgence of the Bishops seeking control.  1633 was a watershed in Ireland with the appointment of  William Laud as Archbishop of Canterbury (picture right) and Thomas Wentworth, later the Earl of Strafford, as Lord Deputy in Ireland. Both these individuals became […]

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 Renwick`s Lecture on Psalm XXIII. [ From  “A Choice Collection of the very valuable Prefaces, Lectures and Sermons preached by the Reverend Mr James Renwick”. S & A Gardner, Glasgow (1804) p 36-40.]  Click on thumbnail for larger image. PDF file

Signatories to the Covenant of 1638 in Borgue and Minigaff Parishes, Galloway. These are extracts from “Galloway and the Covenanters” by Alex.S. Morton (1914). They refer to the inhabitants of the two Galloway Parishes that signed a copy of the Covenant. Click on the image to enlarge to 600 pixel width; this image can be […]