Preston 17 – 19 Aug 1648 and Uttoxeter.  In 1647-8 the alliance with the English Parliamentarians and the future of the Solemn League and Covenant were crumbling, with the English unable, or unwilling, to fulfil their end of bargain, Not least they were against the extension of Presbyterianism as the true religion in England and […]

Augsburg Confession In 1529 – 30 The Emperor, Charles V, finally made his way to Germany  having reconciled himself with Francis I of France, the Pope and seen the Turks turn back from the eastern borders. He now envisaged the completion of his work – the extirpation of Luther and Lutheranism decreed in the Edict […]

James Ure of Shergarton Cited in Hewison`s The Covenanters etc The Rev. Robert Wodrow, the historian of the Covenanters, gives a credible account of the hardships endured by James Ure of Shargarton, in the parish of Kippen, in Stirlingshire, a centre of nonconforming disaffection.’ From 1670 Ure was leading the disorderly life of a dissenter, […]

Dunnottar Castle Dunottar Castle, now a ruin, is near Stonehaven and about 15 miles south of Aberdeen. Built on an outcrop of sandstone that juts out into the sea it has a rugged beauty and in its day was a fearsome stronghold. It is thought that St Ninian had been here in the 5th century […]

The Covenanter Ships –  “Eaglewing”, “Crown”  “Rising Sun” and “Henry & Francis”  The flow of Scottish migrants to the Province of Ulster who came in search of land and religious freedom was significant in the Plantation of Ireland. Yet, in a short space of 20 years there was a change in the relationships with the […]

John Ashton – a “poor priest” John Ashton was one of the “poor priests” who went to preach to the people; he is variously described as a student, a bachelor of arts and a master of arts at Oxford University. By the summer of 1382 he had garnered sufficient notoriety in the Church`s eyes to […]

David Straiton and Norman Gourlay, Martyrs 1534. Straiton was the younger son of  the laird of of Lauriston in Forfarshire, where his family had been for some six hundred years. His elder brother lived in the castle of Lauriston. David Straiton was proprietor of some lands at the mouth of the river Esk and also […]

Injunctions of Edward VI to the Church of England, 1547. [Paraphrase of the injunctions in Foxes Monuments, Ed. Geo. Townsend (1846) vol 5 p 706-713 ] 1. All clerics to obey the laws against the usurped powers of the pope . 2.To preach quarterly against the usurped powers of Rome. 3.Kings supremacy preached four times […]

The Restoration – a new Scottish Parliament approved. The Diary of John Nicoll (1660-1667) is a contemporaneous record that throws an insight upon the trials and tribulations of the time. There can be little doubt that the people were minded to accept change by 1660 and were over optimistic at what that might be. Some […]

The Protest at Speyer 1529.[ Extracted Rev. J A Wylie, History of Protestantism, vol i, p550-1] The elector, for himself; the princes, and the whole body of the Reformed party, now proceeded to read a Declaration, of which the following are the more important passages :‑ We cannot consent to its [the edict of 1526] […]

James Stuart, `Lord James`. The Reformation had many prominent persons that helped shape the establishment of the Protestant – Presbyterian, Church in Scotland. James Stuart, Earl of Moray was possibly the most eminent layman who, like Erskine of Dun, was a mediator and conciliator at times of crisis. James Stuart was born  about 1531, a […]

THE ” TEST ” OF THE UNITED IRISHMEN. In the awful presence of God. I A. B., do voluntarily declare, that I will persevere in endeavouring to form a brotherhood of affection among Irishmen of every religious persuasion, and that I will also persevere in my endeavours to obtain, an equal, full, and adequate representation […]

List of Popes since St Peter 41 AD to 1846.Dates denote when they began their reign. [For large images click on thumbnail] 41-252 AD 253-498 AD 514-687 AD 701-897 AD 898-1004 AD Continued

Peter`s Pence or Romescot. Peter`s pence or Romescot began as a monetary donation to the coffers of the Church of Rome. It arose as an act of piety by King Ina, king of the West Saxons (AD 688-723) who granted one penny from every fire – house ( a house with a fireplace) throughout his […]