Sir George “Bluidy” MacKenzie of Rosehaugh, Kings Advocate. [Main source: Men of the Covenant, A Smellie, Deluxe edn,  v II, p 13.(1908]. Sir George MacKenzie of Rosehaugh sits large in the history of the Covenanters and the later years of the “Killing Time”, not only for his reputation for pursuing them to the death, but […]

The Spanish Blanks This was another plot in 1592 by the Catholic Earls of Huntly, Erroll and Angus resuming their correspondence and plotting of three years earlier with Spain. The English secret service gained wind of the plot and informed Andrew Knox, minister in Paisley, who boarded a ship in the River Clyde and seized […]

                   Chronology of the Reformation in Europe. 1175           Peter Waldo of Lyons, and his `Poor Men`. 1180           First translation of New Testament into Romault,                    made available by Waldo. 1184          Pope Lucius III decreed bishops to hold inquisition and                    heretics handed to secular power for punishment. Pattern                   for the future. 1275          Inquisitor Reynerius […]

David  Hackston.  Although  a  lesser  light among  the  Covenanters in  terms  of  preaching , David  Hackston  of  Rathillet, stands  tall  among  the  soldiers  of  the  Covenant  as the leader  of  “The  Cameronians “  as  the  armed  supporters of Richard Cameron became  known.  Hackston came  from  an  old Scottish  and  reasonably  well  off  family  in  the  Parish  of  […]

The Reformation in Europe . Index Please note that this section is `work in progress` and pages may be edited from time to time. The Reformation in Europe. The Eucharist explained. Different interpretations. The Waldensians. Waldensian Time Line. The Noble Lesson. The Inquisition. Martyrdom in Piedmont and Provence 16C. European Reformers. Bohemia, Jan Hus, Master […]

Extracts from the Records of the Old Tolbooth (Edinburgh) (The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club, Vol 12.) Another source of prisoners sent to Dunnottar on 18 May 1685, released into the custody of Captain Grahame ( Patrick Grahame of the Town Guard). and another entry of 11 August 1685 of  prisoners to be sent […]

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 […]

Eaglewing – Livingstone`s account. John Livingstone’s account is given in Reid’s History of the Presbyterian Church: We had much toil in our preparations and many hindrances in our undertaking, and both sad and glad hearts in taking leave of our friends. At last, about the ninth of September 1636, we loosed from Loch Fergus, but […]

Well, how do you do Private William McBride? Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside? And rest for awhile neath the warm summer sun I’ve been walking all day, and I’m nearly done And I see by your gravestone, you’re only nineteen When you joined the great fallen in nineteen sixteen […]

Schedule of “dissolved ” Monasteries, (continued). pages 8-13 [ For large image, click on thumbnail] Last page includes Appx 2 – valuations of suppressed monasteries.

The Society of Jesus – the Jesuits   Don Inigo Lopez de Recalde, the Ignatius Loyola of history, was youngest son of  a Spanish Grandee and born in the Castle of Loyola in 1491. Growing up in a relative luxury at the Spanish Court he sought adventure and glory as a soldier, and did so […]

The “Engagement”  and Mauchline Moor – 12 June 1648 The skirmish at Mauchline Moor was an important event in the Covenanter story because it was a tangible and evident expression of the people  against both support for the King and, curiously, opposition to the growing power of Oliver Cromwell. It was these Covenanters of the […]

The Martyrs Monument, Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh. Within the Greyfriars Kirk yard stands the “Martyrs Memorial” which commemorates some 18,000 Covenanters who died for their faith . It also marks the area where the remains of some hundred Covenanters  executed in the nearby Grassmarket are buried. As was the custom and practice most were beheaded 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 […]