THIR ACTIS AND ARTICLES WAR RED IN FACE OF PARLIAMENT, AND RATIFIED BE THE THRE ESTAITIS OF THIS REALM, AT EDINBURGH, THE SEVINTENE DAY OF AUGUST, THE YEAR OP GOD Jm. Vc. AND THRESCOIR YEARIS. Cited Works of Knox, vol 2 p 120-122. This oure CONFESSIOUN was publictlie red, first in audience of the Lordis […]
THE ACT FOR ABOLISHING THE JURISDICTION OF THE PAPE. [ in Scotland ] IN the Parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the tent day of Julij, the year of God Jm Vc lx yearis, and thairefter continewit to the first day of August nixt thairefter following, with continewatioun of dayes, upoun the xxiiij of the said moneth of […]
John Spreul of Glasgow, Apothecary. Intercommuned fugitive, horned, tortured, improperly convicted, prisoner on the Bass Rock for over six years, who refused to be freed. The story of John Spreul (the younger) is remarkable. He was one of the better off Presbyterian tradesmen who was targeted by a greedy government and its officials, keen to […]
The people on the eve of the Reformation. In the highly regulated medieval society in which they lived and worked the people still managed to find time to relax between sunset and sunrise when their time was nominally their own. In the towns the watchmen did their rounds and the curfew (although not called that, […]
Rev. Thomas Guthrie and “The Ragged Schools” Thomas Guthrie was another man of vision and philanthropy who in his day did much for the children of Scotland. Guthrie was born in Brechin on July 12, 1803, the 12th child and sixth son of David Guthrie and Clementina Cay. His father was a merchant and […]
They suffered for their beliefs. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelations 7.14) The Scots Worthies is an often quoted source for the numbers of Presbyterians who died or were subject of `the utmost hardships and extremities`. […]
Charles II King of Scotland ( February 1649 – September 1651) The end of the Bishops Wars afforded the Scots the opportunity to step aside and avoid becoming involved in the English Civil War that had broken out. But their wishes were disappointed when the Parliamentary party in England approached the Scots for military aid […]
Henry Forrest – Martyr, St Andrews 1532. Henry Forrest was a native of Linlithgow, possibly the son of Thomas Forrest, and a young monk in the Benedictine monastery there. He had seen and heard Patrick Hamilton preaching and was secretly taken up with what he heard. In his opinion the execution was a step too […]
The Apologetic Declaration, and Admonitory Vindication of The True Presbyterians of the Church of Scotland: Especially anent intelligencers and informers. 26 October 1684. Albeit we know that the people of God in all ages have been cruelly persecuted and maliciously reviled, by apostates from, and enemies to, the truths of our Lord Jesus Christ; yet […]
THE MARTYRDOM OF JOHN BROWN by Mrs A Stuart Menteath (1845) “Lays of the Kirk and Covenant” Glasgow, W S Sime,(1892) There, worthy of his masters, came The despots’ champion, bloody Graham, To stain for aye a warrior’s sword, And lead a fierce, though fawning horde— The human bloodhounds of the earth— To hunt the […]
The Battle of Dunbar, 3 September 1650. Led by David Leslie, nephew of Alexander Leslie, Lord Leven, the Covenanter Army had been actively engaged in suppressing odd outbreaks of royalist risings in Stirling, Inverness and Atholl. In March 1650 the Marquis of Montrose had landed in Orkney and had been beaten arrested and executed (21 […]
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 MacBride do you mind if I sit here by your graveside? And I’ll rest for a while in the warm summer sun, I’ve been walking all day and I’m nearly done. I see by your gravestone that you were only 19 when you joined the dead heroes in […]
Worcester 3 Sep 1651. King Charles was crowned at Scone, Perthshire on 1 January 1651 and once again Scotland was supporting its king against the New Model Army of Cromwell. In the June of 1651 the Act of Classes, which had excluded so many from recruitment to the army, was repealed. A new army was […]